State of Play
by Rocky2e
Summary: Someone is playing a dangerous game with the Underwoods as they set their sights on the Oval Office. Loosely set in season 2, no spoilers. Not related to any of my other stories. F/C
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Apparently, I've been on a Frank/Claire kick lately. This story takes place in the same time period as** _ **The Interview**_ **and** _ **The Fallout**_ **, but they are unrelated. I'm going to be honest, this story might not be for everyone, I just encourage you to try it out for a few chapters. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Clearly, I don't own** _ **House of Cards**_ **and I'm, sadly, not making any money of this story either. All similarities to any other stories and/or characters is purely coincidental.**

 **Chapter One.**

"I have barely seen you at all this week," Claire Underwood complains to her husband Frank. She rounds the corner of his desk and sits in his lap.

"I know, this whole week has been such a blur," he agrees, stamping a kiss to her temple. Despite their hectic jobs, Frank and Claire always try to carve out some time during the week to spend together.

"I don't like when we don't have our time together, Francis." Claire whispers, closing her eyes at the feeling of her husband's lips on her skin.

"Me either," Frank mumbles and traces a trail of kisses from her ear to her lips. Claire cups his cheek and quickly escalates the kiss. Their lips separate with a smack. He maneuvers his wife so her legs are dangling over his lap. Claire leans her head against his. His arm gently pushes her forward so it can loop around her back. Her fingers skim his cheek, gently bringing his lips to hers.

"Ah…gross…" Thirteen-year-old Hannah Underwood says when she walks into her dad's office. She doesn't need to see her parents making out like horny teenagers, a common occurrence in her household. "Mom, Dad, you two are so disgusting."

Claire lets out a sigh against her husband's lips. She should've thought to lock the door before approaching her husband. They are lucky it is only their daughter walking in on them and not one of Frank's interns. She reluctantly climbs off her husband's lap and sits on the corner of his desk instead.

"What can we help you with Han?" Frank asks his daughter. Hannah tucks a loose strand of chocolate hair behind her ear.

"No offense Dad, but it's hard to focus when you have Mom's lipstick smeared on your lips. Right…there…and there," Hannah gestures to her own top lip.

"Cute," Frank says sarcastically and glares at his wife for smirking at Hannah's teasing. The child's cerulean eyes twinkle with delight, mirroring her mother's. She watches her father duck her mother's assistance and swallows her chuckle.

"How was school today?" Claire asks in an effort to steer their daughter away from commenting further on what she just witnessed.

"It was good. I actually am wondering if I can go to Lauren's. We have that English test to study for. And it looks like you two have some unfinished business to take care of."

Claire and Frank silently confer with each other, ultimately agreeing to let their daughter go.

"Fine, just be home after dinner. And no ditching the detail, we don't need another Maryland incident," Frank orders sternly.

Unfortunately, Hannah inherited her parents scheming abilities. A few months ago, she manipulated her security team and ran off to Baltimore to attend a concert by herself. It took three hours and a helicopter to track the teenager down.

"I promise, I will be good. You don't have to worry." Hannah tells her parents and approaches them, pressing a kiss to each other of their cheeks.

When Hannah closes the door behind her, Claire reclaims her spot in Frank's lap. Instead of continuing their tryst, they merely sit together enjoying each other's company. Frank absentmindedly skims his fingertips on Claire's bare arm as she buries her head in the crook of his neck.

"Our daughter is becoming us…that is terrifying," Claire says.

"I know, I almost miss when she was little. She was a lot easier to manage back then. All you had to do was tell her no and pick her up if you didn't want her to do something."

"I miss those days so much, even if we had no idea what we were doing. We figured it out though, together."

Frank looks down at his wife who has a nostalgic expression on her face. He has a feeling as to where this conversation is headed.

"What are you saying?"

"Nothing…it doesn't matter. It's just something I've been thinking about, but it's not important."

"Yes, it is. Claire, tell me." He puts his hand on her cheek in an effort to coax her into revealing what she is thinking.

Claire avoids eye contact with him. They agreed after Hannah was born they wouldn't have another and so far, they have managed to keep that promise. Sure, they have had scares now and then, but no other children.

"I…I'm saying I've been considering having another baby."

Frank's eyes widen. Claire never vocalized this to him before, which is not like her. She always tells him what she is thinking, whether he agrees with her or not.

"Why haven't you said anything to me?"

He looks almost hurt by her confession. Not because it's not what he wants to hear, but the fact she kept this from him for so long.

"I just figured you were content with what we have." Claire sits up so she is making direct eye contact with her husband. She wants to see his genuine reaction.

"I am, but sweetheart, I want what you want. If you want to start over again after all this time, then I'm more than okay with that."

"You hate children."

"Not ours."

She scans his face for any signs of deception. Finding none, she stamps a kiss to his lips. This is not a choice she made on a whim, she thought long and hard about having another baby thirteen years after having her first one.

"I love you, Francis."

"I love you too, Claire." They briefly kiss again, with Claire being the first to pull away.

"Whatever happened to 'I'm not going to give you a couple of kids and count the days until retirement?'"

Frank laughs at Claire's question, quoting what he said to her when he proposed over twenty-five years ago.

"Things change. Let's go home."

An hour later, Claire's bare form is curled inside Frank's, buried under the comforter of their bed.

"We only have a little time before Hannah gets home," Claire reminds her husband. In response, he grounds his hips into hers, making her moan.

"Don't worry, I'll be done in a moment," he rolls her onto her back and drives deeper into her with each thrust. Claire's nails dig into his back as she feels herself tightening around him.

They hear Hannah walk through the front door just as they are finishing.

"Mom? Dad?" Hannah asks from the living room, too afraid to go upstairs and discover her parents in a compromising position again.

"Are you sure you want another child?" Frank asks teasingly as Claire starts getting redressed. She briefly smiles and then a more somber expression washes over her features.

"Francis, I don't want to tell Hannah…or anyone, in case nothing happens." Frank nods in understanding. There's no logical reason to get their daughter's hopes up until Claire gets pregnant, or doesn't. They aren't exactly young anymore, he is expecting his wife to know pregnancy at her age might be dangerous or not even possible.

Frank and Claire descend the stairs together, eager to chat with their child about her day. When Hannah sees her parents, she shakes her head. She has an idea of what they were doing upstairs while she was gone.

"Hey darlin', how was Lauren's?" Frank asks and sits down on the living room couch while his wife rummages through the fridge in the adjoining kitchen.

"Good. I don't think Lauren and I are going to fail the ninth grade," Hannah says.

"Well, that's nice to hear." Claire comments sarcastically over her shoulder. She returns with a glass of wine for herself and a beer for Frank. Frank pats the empty couch cushion next to him to convince his wife to sit down. Claire obliges and senses his arm wrap around her back. The three of them chat about their day until Hannah goes into her room for the night.

Frank plays a video game in the basement and meets Claire in bed a little while later. He presses a kiss to the back of her neck while his hand slides around her waist, pulling her body flush against his.

"Francis, we should make more time to spend together, just the two of us." Claire whispers, turning her head to face his.

"I agree. These next few months are going to be difficult for us. We have a lot to accomplish and we are going to need to rely on each other now more than ever."

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, there's a little time jump and someone's life is put at risk. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Welcome back and thank you for all the reviews I received! I always welcome feedback on all of my stories and I encourage everyone to leave their thoughts. I think you will like this chapter, enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two.**

It's been five months since Claire and Frank decided to try for another child. Now, she is pacing nervously in the master bathroom, having just taken a pregnancy test. Frank is busy making sure Hannah gets off to school and will meet his wife upstairs when he can.

"Did Mom go to work?" Hannah asks. Her mom usually eats breakfast with her since her dad gets up early to go to the White House.

"Your mom isn't feeling well today, so I thought I would eat with you." Frank doesn't want to tell their daughter what Claire is actually doing in case the test is negative.

"Okay," Hannah says with a smile and eats her cereal.

"Come on, come on," Claire whispers to herself and checks her watch. It's only been two minutes, she still has another to go until there is a clear result. She wrings her hands nervously and continues her pacing, her heels clicking loudly on the hardwood.

"Bye, have fun at school," Frank says to Hannah and hugs her.

"Bye, tell Mom I hope she feels better."

"I will." Frank watches Hannah climb into the SUV packed with Secret Service Agents who are in charge of her safety.

"Francis!" He hears Claire yell from upstairs. Frank takes the stairs two at a time, bursting into the master bathroom. His wife is holding the test with a euphoric look on her face.

"It's positive?" Frank assesses, based on Claire's smile.

"Yes," Claire whispers and moves to embrace her husband. Frank stamps a kiss to her blonde hair, squeezing her tight to his frame. He hears Claire sniff and he skates his hand up her back, rubbing it soothingly.

Claire wipes her eyes and double checks the test in case the result changed. Frank looks over her shoulder, confirming the test is positive.

"When do you think this happened?" Claire asks out of curiosity. Frank shrugs, he has no idea, but it had to have occurred in the past three months. Claire took another test two months after they started trying and it was negative.

"That night in my office, maybe?" Frank suggests.

 _Three and a half months ago, Claire says goodbye to her assistant for the night and heads into Frank's office. They have reservations at a nearby restaurant and they are going to be late if they don't hurry up. When she gets there, she is surprised to see Doug and Frank in the midst of a strategy meeting._

" _I think he will vote yes," Doug tells Frank, not registering Claire's presence in his boss' office._

 _Frank turns to wink at Claire, who is making herself comfortable in his office chair._

" _What does he need?" Frank asks, knowing the drill by now. If you want people to do what you want, you have to promise them something worthwhile in return._

" _Funding for his new Alzheimer's research center in his district," Doug says._

" _Can we secure it?"_

" _I don't know, let me make a few calls," Doug says and moves past his boss, waving to Claire on his way out._

" _I'm sorry Claire, I don't think we will make our reservations tonight," Frank says. He is in the process of whipping votes for an education bill, which is proving harder to do than he originally planned._

 _Claire shrugs, she doesn't care. It makes her happy to watch her husband do what he does best; whip votes._

" _I don't mind. Hannah is out for the night, so we can just pick something up on the way home." Frank reaches across the desk to pepper a kiss to his wife's cheek. He is grateful to have such an understanding wife who values his work. Claire takes out her laptop when Doug returns to Frank's office, handing the phone to his boss._

 _Two hours later, Frank and Doug finally have the number of votes they need to assure the bill's passing. Doug leaves the Underwoods' in the office. Frank goes over to his desk, wanting to see what Claire is working on._

" _I am just finishing this email and then we can go," Claire tells him. Frank massages his wife's shoulders while she types. "That feels good, Francis." She shuts down her laptop and stands up to face him. Suddenly, Claire strides over the door to his office, locking it._

" _What are you doing?" Frank asks, watching a mischievous grin form on Claire's lips._

" _We never got to finish what we started before our daughter interrupted us."_

 _Frank closes the gap between them and lowers them to the floor, stripping off her dress in the process. Claire works to get her husband naked first, all the while helping remove her own clothing._

"That means I'm probably a little over three months along," Claire says, brushing her hand over her stomach. Frank nods and places his hand over hers.

"Are you having any symptoms?"

"I've been more tired and nauseous, which is why I wanted to take the test. Francis, I don't want to tell Hannah for a little while, just in case."

"Okay, I have to go to the office. I'll see you for lunch?" Claire watches him remove his hand from her stomach, reaching for her face to lightly pinch her cheek. She gives him a clipped nod and sees him leave.

The next morning, Frank and Hannah are having breakfast again, waiting for Claire to come downstairs. She can hear the pair laughing in the kitchen and moves to join them.

"Hi Mom," Hannah says as Claire comes up behind her, skimming her fingers through her daughter's hair. Frank stands up from the kitchen table to pour his wife a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," Claire says and kisses Frank's cheek. The strong smell of the beverage is making Claire's stomach churn. Hannah watches her mother's face turn frighteningly pale.

"Mom!" Hannah exclaims when she sees Claire drop the coffee on the table and rush to throw up in the sink. Frank turns to look over his shoulder, spotting his wife hunched over. He goes over to her, rubbing her shoulder while she dry heaves.

Hannah grabs her mom a bottle of water from the fridge and hands it to her dad.

Claire's morning sickness doesn't usually occur until the middle of the day and lasts well past lunch. This morning, with the coffee smell, is a different story.

"Here," Frank whispers to her when she is finished. He forgot how bad her morning sickness was with Hannah, he should've been more aware this time around. Claire gratefully accepts the water, needing to taste something else besides vomit.

Hannah is still staring at her mother with masked concern. Like Claire, Hannah is excellent at concealing her emotions, except when it comes to her parents.

"I'm fine honey…I thought I was done with the food poisoning, but I guess not." Claire lies, not wanting her daughter to know about the baby just yet. She wants to confirm with a doctor and see how far along she is before telling other people.

"Get to school, I'll look after her," Frank assures his daughter. Claire ran upstairs to brush her teeth again so they can leave. Hannah nods and gathers up her belongings, waving goodbye to her father on the way out.

Frank climbs the stairs to check on his wife. She is curled around the toilet, dry heaving again. He kneels down beside her, skimming his hand up and down her back.

"I can't believe I wanted to do this again," Claire comments and flushes the toilet. Frank laughs despite himself. "Don't you have to go to work?"

"Doug can hold down the fort until I get there."

"Hannah get off to school okay?" Claire accepts another glass of water from Frank.

"Yes, I told her that I would look after you, which got her moving."

"Good. Francis, go. I'll be fine." Claire doesn't need her husband hovering worriedly over her while she pukes. There's nothing he can do for her here. She has been dealing with morning sickness for the past week in private and for several weeks during her first pregnancy without him by her side.

"Ok…make sure you eat something before you come in." Frank leaves the townhouse with his security detail in tow.

Claire finally makes it into the office by ten. She bypasses her assistant, who looks shocked her boss is walking into work two hours late. On her desk is a breath mint and a note from her husband.

 **In case you puke again. I don't want to kiss you if you have bad breath.**

 **-F.**

"Nice," Claire whispers and pockets the note and breath mint.

She is in the midst of reading a State Department briefing when she gets a text from her husband, telling her to come to his office immediately and to bring her coat. Claire furrows her eyebrows at the request, but quickly travels down the hall to his office.

Frank already has his coat on and looks frightened. The second she closes the door to his office, he is already sliding her coat onto her shoulders.

"Francis, what is going on?" She hates how scared he looks, meaning something has to be wrong with their daughter.

"It's Hannah. She got into an accident on the way to school this morning."

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, the Underwoods' have to deal with the aftermath of Hannah's accident. This is just the beginning! Please leave a review on your way out and thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for all your reviews, I love receiving them. I haven't forgotten about** _ **The Fallout,**_ **I'm just a little stuck on that one right now. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!**

 **Chapter Three.**

For a moment, Claire just stares at him, too shocked to say anything.

"How bad?" She asks after a beat of silence.

"I don't know. We should go, now." Frank tells her and grabs her hand, leading the way out of his office and into an awaiting vehicle. He notices Claire hasn't let go of his hand since they left the White House. "I'm sure she will be fine, sweetheart."

Claire doesn't say anything, but squeezes his hand to let him know she heard him.

"We are firing every single member of her security," she declares a few minutes later, looking at him for confirmation.

"I agree, this shouldn't have happened."

Frank feels bad for his wife. This is the last thing she needs to be dealing with right now. She should be focused on her pregnancy and not the potential danger their other child is in.

When they arrive at the hospital, they are immediately brought into a private waiting room with assurances a doctor will be in soon to update them on their daughter's condition.

Claire alternates between sitting down and pacing around the small room. Frank is talking on the phone when his wife begins another round of pacing. He reaches over and hooks an arm around her waist, bringing her towards him. Claire sighs against him, but reluctantly sits down next to him. Frank ends his phone call moments later.

"What is taking so long?" Claire asks. She is not an impatient person by any means, but it's concerning that they haven't heard anything yet.

"I don't know…" Frank is cut off by a knock on the door. He yells for the person to come in, relieved to see the doctor in charge of their daughter's care.

"Mr. and Mrs. Underwood, I'm Dr. Madison, your daughter's attending. Hannah was brought in with a lacerated spleen, a concussion with mild scrapes and cuts to her face as well as a fractured wrist from the airbag."

Frank and Claire glance at each other in confusion. Their daughter should not have been sitting in the front seat of the car, it is a direct violation of security protocol.

"Airbag? Are you sure?" Frank asks for the both of them.

"Yes, according to the EMT report, she was pulled out of the passenger side," the doctor reviews his notes just to be sure.

"Is she going to be okay?" Claire asks, her voice more strained than she intended. Frank sets his hand on her arm, bracing himself for what Dr. Madison has to say.

"Yes, she will make a full recovery. She will be in some pain for a while and we would like her to stay overnight, but she will be fine. I will have a nurse escort you to her room when you are ready."

Frank and Claire shake the doctor's hand and take a moment to themselves before heading up to see their child.

"Why was she sitting up front? The team knows she shouldn't be up there," Claire says, ire seeping into her tone.

"I don't know, but someone is going to pay." Frank has a feeling this accident was planned, with their daughter being the target.

Claire nods and is the first to leave the room, with Frank following close behind her. They end up at a private patient room at the end of a deserted hallway. Hannah is resting peacefully in her bed, a splint enclosed on her wrist and scrapes marring her otherwise cherubic face.

Frank clenches his fist at the sight of his daughter lying helplessly in a hospital bed. Claire uncoils his hand, clasping it in her own. Her husband has a tendency to be overprotective when it comes to her and Hannah. Their daughter is banged up, but otherwise, she is okay.

Claire gently sits on the edge of Hannah's bed and fiddles with her daughter's hospital gown. Hannah slowly opens her eyes, surprised to see her parents sitting in front of her with agonized looks on their faces.

"Mom? Dad? What's going on?" Hannah asks, her voice soft. "Mom, why are you crying?"

Claire wipes her eyes, not even noticing she was. Frank sits in an open chair, dragging it up to the bed.

"Honey, you were in an accident. Do you remember?" Claire asks. Hannah shakes her head and looks down at her wrist, frowning at the splint.

"I remember you throwing up and Dad telling me not to worry. I don't remember anything else." Hannah looks like she is about to cry, so Frank steps in.

"Hey, it's okay Han. I just have to ask; have you ever sat in the front seat of the car on the way to school before?"

"No, Daddy. You and Mom always tell me to sit in the back. Why? Was I sitting in the front?"

Frank and Claire nod, not liking this new development from Hannah's accident. Someone deliberately made their daughter sit up front the day she gets into an accident. Claire glances over at her husband, noticing by the way he is biting his lip with his teeth that he is agitated.

"Hannah, get some sleep. I just have to talk to your dad outside for a second," Claire stands up and kisses the crown of her daughter's head. Frank does the same and follows Claire out of the room and into an empty patient room.

"This is not acceptable, Claire!" Frank explodes the second his wife closes the door. Claire approaches him, holding her hands out so they are brushing his chest.

"I know, but Francis, she is terrified. We don't need to scare her any more than she already is. We don't even know what happened."

Frank steps away from her, shaking his head.

"Isn't it obvious? Our people betrayed us and put our daughter at risk!" Frank sees a nearby lamp and throws it to the ground, watching it shatter. Claire is unmoved by this, having seen her husband express his anger in similar ways over the years. She moves towards him, resting her hand on his shoulder blade.

"We need to keep ourselves together in front of her, Francis. We _will_ figure out who did this, but Hannah is our first priority."

Their daughter was already hurt once, they will not let that happen again.

"Okay," Frank agrees and takes a few breaths to calm down. Claire is right, they should project strength so Hannah won't be scared. He calls Doug and tells him to look around to see what he finds out about the accident and to keep it to himself. Then, Frank makes a call to the head of Secret Service, requesting new agents without an explanation as a safety precaution.

Claire trails behind Frank back to their daughter's room. Hannah has already fallen back asleep. Frank has food brought up for them, but Claire merely picks at it. He catches her yawn and rub her eyes more than once.

"Claire, come here," Frank says in an effort to convince his wife to relinquish her spot on Hannah's bed.

"What?" Claire asks, not bothering to turn around to meet his eyes.

"Take a break," Frank pulls on her wrist, bringing her over to the chair he is sitting on.

"We both can't fit on that, Francis." Claire beings to protest, but finds herself cocooning her frame around her husband, yawning loudly into his neck.

A few hours later, Hannah stirs, opening her eyes slightly. Her parents are sleeping together in a reclining chair. Her mother has her hand fanned out on her stomach, with her father's resting protectively on top of hers. The teenager furrows her eyebrows, but thinks she is just imagining things and goes back to sleep.

"Hey Hannah, how are you feeling?" Frank asks later on when his daughter has fully woken up. Claire is sitting on her husband's lap, watching Hannah carefully.

"I feel fine. My wrist hurts though," Hannah says with a shrug. She learned a while ago from her parents to downplay her pain unless it's debilitating.

Frank and Claire nod sympathetically. Hannah is in more pain than she is admitting, but they appreciate their daughter's attempt at putting on a brave face.

"Can I go home yet?" Hannah asks. Frank side-eyes his wife. He knows Claire hates hospitals and it looks like their daughter picked up on that as well. Claire elbows Frank in the ribs before he can make a comment.

"No, you have to stay the night. I will stay with you though," Claire offers. She doesn't fully trust the people they are paying to protect their daughter and would feel better if she stayed with Hannah overnight.

Frank wants to protest, but he knows his wife will be insistent on it. Claire needs a good night sleep and neglecting to take care of herself won't be good for her or their child.

Claire realizes Frank won't argue with her about staying in front of Hannah. They would have to reveal the reason why she should be sleeping in a comfortable bed at home and they don't want to do that just yet. The pair haven't had a chance to set up a proper doctor's appointment to make sure everything is going as it should be.

"I'll be fine," Claire whispers in Frank's ear, just loud enough for him to hear.

"I'm sorry Han, I have to go into the office before I go home. I will see you tomorrow morning." Claire stands up to allow Frank to stand, stealing a kiss from him. Frank goes over to kiss their daughter's cheek and leaves the hospital.

Claire sits at the edge of Hannah's bed and eyes her daughter suspiciously.

"What's really wrong Hannah?" Claire knows her daughter well enough to know she holds back sometimes. It's a trait she acquired from her.

"My wrist hurts a lot," Hannah mumbles, a fat tear sliding down her cheek. Claire smooths her daughter's hair and promises she will be back with a nurse to administer pain killers. She understands Hannah didn't want to say anything in front of Frank because he would ask her what type of pain she is in, resulting in her daughter denying herself the medicine. Frank is tough on Hannah. He can't help it, it's how he was raised. He forgets sometimes their daughter is only thirteen.

"Here you go," Claire tells her daughter, holding her hand while the nurse injects some Morphine into her IV. Hannah smiles softly and lets her eyes close. Claire stays in bed with her until she can hear her breathing out. "Can I get a pillow and blanket brought in here?"

The nurse nods and leaves the room, in search of the aforementioned items. Claire answers some emails and calls her assistant to tell her that she won't be in tomorrow either. Eventually, Claire receives what she asked for and tries to make herself comfortable on the recliner. She sends a goodnight text to Frank and quickly falls asleep.

In the middle of the night, Claire is awoken by a high-pitched scream. She bolts upright when she sees Hannah thrashing around in bed.

"Hannah! Hannah! Wake up!" Claire shakes her daughter's shoulders in an effort to wake her up. Hannah screams again and opens her eyes, frightened by the sound of her own voice. "It's okay," Claire assures her daughter, bringing her to her chest while her daughter cries.

"M-m-mom, I r-r-remember," Hannah says, her sobs chopping up her sentence.

"Remember what honey?" Claire asks, pressing her nose to her daughter's hair.

"The accident," Hannah pauses for a second to control her breathing. "Some SUV drove right into us...on purpose."

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Hannah reveals more details about her accident and confirms a conspiracy against the Underwoods'. Please leave a review and thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm a little concerned about the lack of reviews I'm getting for this story. I encourage everyone to provide their feedback, it really helps! Please enjoy this latest chapter.**

 **Chapter Four.**

Claire is taken aback by her daughter's revelation. Earlier, Hannah had no recollection of what happened, but her subconscious put the pieces together for her while she was sleeping.

"Are you sure?" Claire asks. Hannah wouldn't lie, Claire knows that, she just needs to be sure her daughter is remembering something and not dreaming. Hannah nods repeatedly.

"Yes. We were stopped at that crazy intersection on K street and the light turned green. The driver started going and the next thing I knew, a SUV was plowing into my side. Mom, they knew I was sitting in the front seat. I didn't think about it when Dad asked me before, but it makes sense."

Claire reaches for her phone, dialing Frank's number on speed dial.

"Hello? Claire, what's wrong?" Frank questions, his voice clouded with sleep.

"Honey, I need you to come back to the hospital. Hannah has something to tell you." Claire hangs up, not elaborating further.

Fifteen minutes later, Frank bursts into the room, a little out of breath. Hannah and Claire are lying next to each other on the bed.

"Did you run here?" Claire asks with a slight grin. Their townhouse is at least twenty minutes away from the hospital, her husband undoubtedly bullied the detail to drive faster. Frank frowns, his wife should be sleeping, not calling him into the hospital at three in the morning.

"What's going on?" Frank inquires, taking a seat in the chair he was in earlier.

"Daddy, I remember what happened today," Hannah declares. Frank locks eyes with Claire over Hannah's head. Now he comprehends why his wife felt the need to drag him out of bed at this hour.

"What Han? What do you remember?" Frank asks, fully alert.

Hannah repeats what she told her mother word-for-word. Frank retains the information, only standing to confirm his suspicion about his daughter's accident being an inside job.

"Did Doug come up with anything?" Claire asks.

"Not yet. He is trying to track down the detail that was in the car this morning. Apparently, it's proving to be harder than it should be."

Hannah involuntarily shivers. She has known Doug since she was little, but the man still scares her. Doug would never do anything to hurt her. She just knows how resourceful he can be since he's been her father's right-hand-man forever.

Claire tightens her grip on Hannah and silently asks Frank to drop the subject. They can have a pow-wow later when they are well-rested. Frank decides to sleep in the chair his wife was previously occupying while Claire stays in the bed with Hannah.

"Okay, Ms. Underwood, you are good to go. I want you to come back in a month to get the splint off," Dr. Madison says to Hannah the next morning.

Hannah nods, stifling a yawn. After her father came back to the hospital earlier this morning, she had a hard time falling back asleep.

"Any questions?" the doctor poses the question more to Claire than Hannah.

"No, thank you. I think we are all set," Claire says politely. She can tell her daughter is itching to be released. Hannah changes into clothes her dad dropped off on his way to the office. The new security detail drops them off at the townhouse and keeps watch.

"Are you staying?" Hannah asks while burying herself under her covers.

"No, I have to change and meet your dad for a meeting." Claire doesn't want to leave Hannah alone, but she should only be gone for an hour or so. "We will have our phones on, so if there's anything you need, just call us. I should be back before you wake up."

"Okay," Hannah agrees, wanting nothing more than to take a long nap. Claire wishes she could sleep too, and she will after this meeting is over.

"Hannah get home okay?" Frank asks Claire when she shows up in his office.

"Yes, she should already be sleeping."

After getting a good look at Claire, Frank regrets having this meeting. Dark circles are prominent under her eyes. He approaches her, resting his hands on her upper arms.

"When this is over, I want you to go home and get some sleep." He won't have Claire run herself into the ground. He needs her to be the voice of reason and confidant she always is.

"Fine," Claire agrees just as Doug enters the office. The three of them sit on the couches, Frank and Claire next to each other with Doug across.

"Alright, what do we know?" Frank gets to the point so his wife can rejoin their daughter at home.

"Unfortunately, Sir, there isn't much to go on right now. We are in the process of tracking down the people suspected to be in the car with Hannah." Doug knows this isn't what his boss wants to hear. Frank likes results, but it isn't always that simple.

"We know who is in her detail! They are the same people who have been there since she was six." Frank doesn't like the fact something this major happened right under their noses. To hear from Doug that they aren't swiftly taking care of this is unacceptable.

"With all due respect Sir, her detail wasn't the same yesterday. Someone reassigned all of the usual agents and put their own men in the car with your daughter."

"How the hell did this happen?" Frank shouts.

"Francis," Claire says and puts her arm on his shoulder in an effort to calm him down. Yelling at Doug for something he had no control over is not helping the situation. Doug, however, is unmoved by his boss' outburst.

"We will get them Sir, we just need some more time. I have started going through every agent in the Secret Service's financial records. Someone was paid off to make Hannah's accident happen, I'm certain of it."

"Okay, thanks Doug," Frank says, essentially dismissing his chief of staff. Doug takes the hint and flees the office.

"I don't like this Francis," Claire declares when they are alone again. Frank gets off the couch and paces in front of her.

"I shouldn't have let her just walk out the door yesterday. I should've at least watched her get into the car. Maybe I would've…"

Claire stands up so she is directly in front of him.

"This is not your fault, you were worried about me. What happened, happened. Our daughter is safe, we just have to make the people that did this to her suffer."

Frank lightly pinches her cheek, appreciating her intolerance for doubt. It's exactly what he needs to hear in times like this.

"Get some sleep, I'll see you later."

The Underwoods' decide to keep Hannah out of school for the remainder of the week. Claire has been doing half-days, electing to stay home with their daughter to keep her company in the afternoons. She enjoys spending time with Hannah, something she hasn't been able to do in large quantities because of her demanding schedule.

Towards the end of the week, Frank is being asked to attend a bill signing for a stimulus package he single-handedly pushed through Congress. Claire wants to be on-hand to show her support and brings Hannah along to get her out of the house.

"Are you nervous, Dad?" Hannah asks while fiddling with her navy dress. Claire loops her arm through Frank's, smiling over at her husband.

"Me? Of course not," Frank winks at Hannah. Claire scoffs and readjusts her husband's tie. Hannah hangs behind her parents, watching them effortlessly command the room.

"Thank you, Mr. President…" Hannah half-listens to her father's speech, concentrating on the people in the room. She locks eyes with President Walker, who gives her a half-smile. Hannah smiles back and diverts her eyes to the various Secret Service Agents positioned in the office. She sucks in a breath when she recognizes one of the agents standing behind the president. Whoever the person is, he was in the car with her on the day of the accident. She remembers his coffee hair and gunmetal gray eyes. Hannah averts her eyes so she isn't blatantly staring at the agent.

Her thought process is interrupted by everyone clapping for her father and President Walker. Frank leans forward to kiss Claire's cheek. Hannah weaves through the people gathering, focused on reaching her parents.

"Hey Han. Are you proud of your old man?" Frank asks when he sees his daughter coming towards them.

"Of course. Mom, Dad, can I borrow you for a second?" Hannah learned from a young age to never make a scene in front of other people. You never know who is hanging around, wanting to get a juicy story about Washington's elite.

Frank and Claire can tell their daughter is rattled and excuse themselves to talk to her in an unoccupied corner of the Oval Office.

"What's wrong Hannah?" Claire asks, not liking the frightened look ensconced in her daughter's eyes.

"Someone who was in the car with me…he's here…on Walker's detail," Hannah whispers. Except when Hannah glances over to the spot where she spotted the agent, he's no longer there.

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Frank and Claire let Hannah in on their little secret as they get a step closer into identifying the players in her accident. Please leave a review on your way out and thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys, thanks for your reviews, I loved reading them. I'm going to be bouncing back and forth between this and** _ **The Fallout**_ **for a little while, but I promise to give you what I can when I have it done. Enjoy the next chapter!**

 **Chapter Five.**

"What?" Frank asks while Claire inconspicuously looks around the room.

"He's gone now, but he was standing right behind President Walker during the ceremony. He had really dark brown hair and gray eyes." Hannah whispers, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation.

"She must've spooked him," Claire mumbles.

"Would you recognize him if you saw him again?" Frank asks his daughter.

"Definitely," Hannah says with a nod.

"Okay, I'll let Doug know so he can start putting pictures together. I have to get to a meeting. I'll see you at home later," Frank hugs Hannah and nudges Claire to follow him.

"I'll be right back. Don't go far." Claire is not letting Hannah go home by herself. Especially when she thinks she saw one of the men in the Oval Office just now. The risk is too high.

Frank and Claire go into his office, away from the crowd gathered in Walker's.

"They are sending a message to us, Claire." Frank informs his wife. Whoever did this is telling Frank and Claire they have the resources to be in their inner circle whether they want them there or not. Whoever their daughter saw was mere inches from them in the Oval Office.

"I know. What are we going to do? We can't watch her all the time, Francis."

"No, but we need to find someone who can. I'm putting Meechum on her detail, I trust him."

Claire agrees with her husband's assessment. Edward Meechum has proven himself to be a trustworthy and discrete agent since joining Frank's detail almost a year ago.

"Okay, I'll get Hannah home," Claire goes to leave, but Frank wraps his arm around her waist, bringing her back. "What?"

"I've missed having lunch with you," he admits sheepishly. They've had a standing lunch date every day since they moved into the West Wing. Claire sets her hands on her husband's chest.

"I'll be back on Monday, when Hannah goes back to school." They briefly kiss, and he lets her return to their daughter. Frank sends a text to Doug on the latest development, so they can start collecting footage from the signing.

Over the next few weeks, life returns to relatively normal for the Underwoods'. Hannah has returned to school without any further incidents. Frank, Claire and Doug haven't had any luck finding the man Hannah saw in the Oval or any other person connected to the accident. There's nothing they can do until there is a new development, which frustrates Frank to no end.

Claire finally secured an appointment with her doctor, but it is at a time when Frank can't go. She meets up with him in the hallway on her way out.

"Hey," Frank says when he sees his wife walking towards him.

"Hi…thanks," she mumbles as he is helping her get her coat on. "Francis, I can't go to that meeting."

A new situation is developing at the White House because President Walker managed to get the United States entangled with China at the behest of Raymond Tusk. Frank asked for Claire's advice, but she isn't able to help out at the moment.

"Why? I thought you cleared your schedule." Frank furrows his eyebrows. Claire shakes her head and eyes the agent hovering behind them.

"I have the appointment today."

"Oh, Claire, I forgot. I can't go." Frank feels awful for not being able to attend. He tried to make it to all of her appointments with Hannah, but he was only a congressman back then. As vice president, he can't just disappear for hours at a time on a personal matter.

"I know, it's fine. Get to your meeting, we can talk about it at home later."

Claire doesn't care if Frank isn't able to go. She isn't one of those people who needs their husband around at all times. If he could be there, he would be and that is enough for her. She brushes past him, squeezing his wrist. Frank smiles to himself and heads into his meeting.

Hours later, Claire comes out of the master bathroom, rubbing some lotion onto her hands. Frank is busy typing away on his laptop, trying to get some work done before the next day. They haven't seen each other since this afternoon, due to Frank's busy schedule. Claire was preoccupied with helping Hannah with her homework and didn't notice her husband come in.

"Do you want me to work downstairs?" Frank asks.

"No, just make some room," Claire sits on the edge of the bed while Frank throws files aimlessly on the bed and floor. He holds his arm out for her and Claire sets her head on his chest.

"How'd it go?" Frank questions. His hand slips under her pajamas, resting it on her slightly swollen abdomen. Claire involuntarily shivers at the contact.

"Thirteen weeks along, no problems."

"Good." They fall into a comfortable silence, consumed by their own thoughts.

"I want to tell Hannah before she figures it out on her own." Claire looks up at him, wanting to know what he thinks.

"I agree." Frank takes his glasses off and shuts down his laptop.

"Do you think she will be okay with it?"

"Why wouldn't she be?" Frank feels her shrug against him, but she doesn't elaborate. "Claire?"

She regrets asking that question aloud, knowing her husband would push her to speak her mind. Claire has been thinking about Hannah's reaction since she became pregnant. Hannah is entering her teenage years, the last thing she would want is a screaming baby in the house. Furthermore, Claire is also wondering how she and Frank are going to manage another baby. It's not like either one of them can stay home and take care of it. And Claire refuses to have their youngest child be raised by a nanny.

"What if we can't handle two kids?" Claire asks, just above a whisper. Frank is utterly taken aback by his wife's question. She is never one to doubt herself. If anything, she is the one to remind him to never have reservations about decisions he makes.

"We can. We will find a way to manage, just like we always have." Frank assures her, dusting a kiss to her hair. Claire doesn't say anything back. She just moves closer to him and slowly drifts off to sleep.

The next night, Hannah comes breezing through the townhouse, her backpack slung over her shoulder. Frank and Claire are resting on the couch, smirking at each other.

"Hey Han, how was…where were you?" Frank asks when he sees Hannah. Hannah rolls her eyes and sets her backpack down, so she can join her parents in the living room.

"I was at debate, _Dad,_ " She says with a playful bite to her tone.

"And how'd it go?" Claire asks.

"Oh, I totally annihilated this kid on Walker's foreign policy agenda. This idiot had no idea what was coming to him," Hannah's voice oozes confidence.

"That's my girl," Frank says proudly.

"Before I walked in, you guys had 'the look' on your face. What's going on?" Frank and Claire furrow their eyebrows in confusion.

"What look?" They say at the same time. Hannah rolls her eyes again. Her parents can be such awful liars sometimes.

"That look you two have on your faces before you guys are about to ruin someone's life. Who is it? And can I help?" Hannah's favorite thing about her parents is they love to scheme. She enjoys watching them work together to take an opponent down, and wants to join in whenever she is allowed.

"We don't have a look," Claire protests. Hannah scoffs, thinking what her mom said is the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard.

"Yes, you do. You guys smirk at each other like you two are the only people in the world who know your secret. It's kind of cute, but also a little gross…you know, since you are my parents and all. Usually you guys are smoking by the windowsill though…why aren't you two smoking?"

"Oh…well…the thing is Han…" Frank starts, but Claire cuts him off.

"I am pregnant. That's why we haven't been smoking lately." Claire doesn't bother feeding her daughter another lie. She has a right to know what's going on. Besides, in a few more weeks, it won't matter. Claire will be showing, and it will be blatantly obvious to everyone that she is expecting.

Frank and Claire wait for their daughter's reaction. Honestly, they aren't planning on Hannah taking it well and they won't blame her. A lot has happened to the teenager in the past couple weeks, this is just another disruption in her world.

"I knew it!" Hannah says with a wide smile. Claire visibly relaxes and so does Frank.

"You knew? How?" Frank asks. Here he thought they were being secretive.

"Well, Dad, you touch Mom's stomach way more than you think. And, Mom, you throw up too much for it to be anything but morning sickness."

"I'm glad our daughter is so observant," Claire comments. "Is this okay for you?" She is not skilled at conversations like this. Her mother never bothered to care about how Claire was feeling, she just cared about how she looked. Claire promised herself when she had Hannah she would make sure her daughter is comfortable enough to express to her and Frank how she's feeling.

"Yeah, I always wanted another sibling. I just thought that it would happen before I turned fourteen, but this is fine too."

"I did too," Claire says. Frank raises his eyebrows in surprise. He didn't realize Claire has wanted another child for so long. He almost wishes his wife would've spoken up sooner. They could've had another child closer to Hannah's age. The three are interrupted by Frank's trademark ringtone blaring through the townhouse.

"Hold on," Frank gets up and answers the phone when he notices Doug calling. Claire and Hannah chat amongst themselves while they wait for him to finish up.

"Wait…are you sure? Okay…I'll bring her in now," Frank tells Doug and hangs up the phone. Claire and Hannah turn to look at him, wondering what the phone call entailed.

"Doug said they might have found the man you recognized in the Oval a couple weeks ago," Frank says to Hannah.

 **A/N 2: Next time, Frank confronts the man he believes to be responsible for Hannah's accident. Thank you for reading and please leave a review on your way out, it really helps!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I am deeply shocked and saddened by the recent Kevin Spacey allegations, but I have decided to move forward with my story. Hopefully, this manner is resolved positively for all parties involved and we get to see** _ **House of Cards**_ **season six. Enjoy this latest chapter!**

 **Chapter Six.**

"Are we sure we should bring her in? Isn't there another way she can do this?" Claire asks. She isn't sure she is comfortable with Hannah openly identifying someone who caused the accident. They don't know how well connected this person is. The Underwoods' could potentially make things worse for themselves.

Frank and Hannah glance at her in confusion. Usually, Claire is the one jumping at the chance for revenge.

"She will be protected, Claire." There is no way Frank is putting their daughter in harm's way again. He would think his wife would know that.

"That's not what I'm asking, _Francis_." Hannah's eyes dart from her mother to her father. She internally shivers at the way her mom says her dad's full name. Hannah keeps her mouth shut and will wait for her parents to come together on this decision.

"Then what are you asking?" Claire sighs, she doesn't want to argue in front of their daughter. Her protective instincts have been heightened since becoming pregnant. She isn't sure she could handle something else happening to Hannah. Especially if they inadvertently caused it.

"I just…" Claire feels her throat tighten and her eyes fill with tears. Hannah's eyes widen, she can count on one hand the amount of times she has seen her mother cry. "…want to make sure she is safe."

Frank moves closer to his wife, surprised she is expressing such profound emotion. He didn't mean to upset her, he honestly thought this was a good development for them.

"It's okay, sweetheart…come…come here," Frank whispers and wraps his arms around Claire. He shoots Hannah a look to assist him in coming up with a solution that Claire is okay with.

"Dad, tell Doug to send you a picture," Hannah tells him, wondering why nobody thought of this before. "I can just confirm it over the phone and you guys can deal with it tomorrow."

"Thank you," Frank mouths to Hannah over Claire's head. Frank uses the hand not coiled around his wife's back to send a text to Doug. Within a minute, Frank receives a text back and throws the phone over to Hannah.

"That's him, Daddy. That's the driver." Hannah says with such assurance, Frank doesn't bother to ask if she is positive. She tosses the phone back at him so he can tell Doug. Hannah quietly excuses herself, thinking her parents should talk without her.

Claire sniffs and pulls away from her husband. She is embarrassed about breaking down so easily. Frank is right, they should be demonstrating their strength, not running in fear.

"You okay?" Frank asks quietly. He forgot how sensitive his wife can be when she is pregnant. Even if Claire would never admit it.

"Yes. I just want to make sure she is okay. I don't want to put her in harm's way again."

"I know. Our daughter is tough, like you." Claire scoffs, she doesn't feel that way right now.

"I should go talk to Hannah."

"Okay, I'll be downstairs."

"Come to bed when you're done." Frank lightly pinches her cheek and watches her head upstairs to their daughter's room.

Claire knocks on the door and hears Hannah telling her to come in.

"Hey, you okay?" Hannah asks. It rattled her a little to see her mother cry, which she won't say to Claire.

Claire softly smiles. Sometimes Hannah reminds her so much of Frank. She shows her concern just like him.

"Your father asked me the same thing." Hannah moves her books so Claire can sit next to her on the bed.

"He should...he kind of made you cry."

"When I was pregnant with you, I cried after your father slammed something down on the counter too loud." Claire mumbles, watching a grin break out on Hannah's face. Her mother seems infallible sometimes, it's comforting to know she can be vulnerable every once in a while.

"Was he angry with you?" Hannah has seen her dad's temper out in full force. It's scary even if his anger isn't directed at you. Her mother doesn't even flinch anymore when he yells or breaks something. She just waits until he is done and then tries to reason with him.

"No. He was on the phone with Doug and he slammed whatever was in hand down on the counter and I just started crying. He hung up the phone mid-sentence and rushed over to console me."

"So, I should be aware that you can spontaneously burst into tears at any moment?" Claire nods with a laugh and then turns serious.

"Hannah, I just want to make sure you are protected. You need to speak up if something makes you uncomfortable, regardless of what your dad and I think."

"I know, Mom. Between you, Dad, Meechum and the other agents, I feel safe, really."

"Good, get some sleep," Claire stamps a kiss to her daughter's temple and closes the door behind her.

"His name is James Kinsey, former Marine. Financial statements confirm he received a $50,000 wire transfer the day before Hannah's accident. We are still trying to track down the source of the money." Doug says to Frank and Claire the next day. He is briefing the couple about the man in the photograph he sent them last night. Now that Hannah confidently identified him as a perpetrator, they can move forward with an official investigation.

"Has he said anything?" Claire asks Doug. She accepts the folder from Frank and peruses it.

"No. The Secret Service has been interrogating him since last night, but he hasn't admitted to anything so far," Doug tells her.

"I want to talk to him," Frank declares. He already sees the guarded fear in Claire's eyes at his proposal.

"With all due respect Sir, you need to let the Secret Service do its job," Doug says. Sometimes his boss can be impulsive. It's his job to keep him from making mistakes.

"We wouldn't be in this position if it did its job," Frank argues back. Doug looks to Claire, knowing she is the only person Frank will listen to at a time like this.

"Give us a moment," Claire tells Doug. She isn't sure who she agrees with yet. Doug has a point, they both are familiar with Frank's temper. He could easily go in there and compromise the investigation. At the same time, Claire would love nothing more for the person who hurt their daughter to pay.

"Claire, I'm not going to change my mind," Frank informs her. He is being stubborn about this for their daughter. There is a chance that whoever did this to her isn't finished yet. And Hannah shouldn't live her life afraid someone is out there wanting to hurt her.

"I know…" Claire pauses to make her decision. "Make him suffer."

Frank approaches her, setting his hands on her shoulders. He knows how far his wife is willing to go to protect their family because he is right there with her.

"I will."

Frank leaves Claire in his office while he goes with an army of Secret Service agents to the facility where Kinsey is being held. Despite protests from Doug, Frank made his decision. With Claire being behind him, it merely cemented it.

Frank shakes hands with the agent in charge, Agent Pierce, and is filled in on the latest developments. He can hear other agents continuing to interrogate Kinsey on the other side of the glass wall.

"Mr. Kinsey denies ever meeting your daughter," Agent Pierce says. Frank shakes his head, he knows his daughter wasn't mistaken when she identified Kinsey. He could tell how terrified she was about being in the same room with him.

"What else has he said?"

"Not much, unfortunately. And sadly, Mr. Vice President, without formal charges, we can't keep him here much longer. Your daughter's identification and the money is a start, but it's not enough."

"Let me talk to him," Frank declares.

"Mr. Vice President, I would highly advise against that. This person could be responsible for hurting your daughter, your judgment is affected whether you want to admit it or not."

Frank isn't listening to Agent Pierce's objections. He orders the man to open the door and clear the room so it's just him and Kinsey. An agent stays for security purposes.

"Mr. Vice President, I didn't think I would be seeing you today. Come in, sit down, let's chat." Kinsey says with a grin and sits up straighter in his chair. Frank sits down at the table across from him and crosses his arms.

"Let's cut the bullshit. My daughter knows it was you driving the car. Now, I really don't care what the purpose of all this is, just as long as it stops."

"And you thought coming in here, I would just, what? Admit to something I didn't do so you can sleep better at night?"

"All we want to know is who you are working for. We know you couldn't have done this by yourself."

Frank is already starting to lose his patience with Kinsey. There is something _off_ about the man in front of him. He won't allow himself to be jerked around by him.

Kinsey sneers at Frank. He isn't going to disclose anything to the vice president. He just wants to get under his skin because he can.

"I don't have anything to do with this, all charges against me are false. You and your wife should teach your daughter not to be such a lying bitch, Mr. Vice President."

All traces of a smirk are washed away from Frank's face. He lurches out of his chair and holds Kinsey by the throat.

"If you ever come near my family again I swear to God, I will personally put you in your goddamn grave." Frank lets go of Kinsey before the agent in the room can interfere.

Kinsey lets out a manic laugh at Frank's threat.

"You think stopping me will guarantee your wife and daughter's safety? Mr. Vice President, there are other people like me out there. This isn't over, we are having too much fun."

"I want him locked up," Frank demands to Agent Pierce and then exits the room without another word. Outside, Frank paces, clenching his first. He is resisting the urge to punch something. James Kinsey is playing a dangerous game and he isn't alone. They have no idea if his threat was just theatrics or there is more coming.

He rests his forehead on the wall and closes his eyes, needing a second to think before he comes up with a strategy.

"Francis," Claire says and hurries to close the gap between them. Frank lifts his head up and looks over his shoulder, relieved to see his wife coming towards him. He engulfs her in a hug. "What happened?"

"He said it wasn't over. We have to beef up security. I don't want you or Hannah going anywhere by yourselves for the time being." Claire is the first one to break the hug, wanting to look at her husband in the eye to truly make sure he is okay.

Whatever Kinsey said to Frank scared him, Claire can tell. If the wall in this building wasn't concrete, she is certain Frank would have punched it.

"He got to you," Claire declares, glancing at her husband for confirmation.

"You didn't see him, Claire."

"Come on," she gently nudges him, thinking he just needs to put this recent encounter out of his mind for the time being. Frank takes her hand, letting her lead him back to the White House.

"Where's Han?" He asks.

"At school. Meechum said she just went to lunch." Claire understands Frank is anxious, but she hopes he won't use the encounter with Kinsey as an excuse to smother Hannah. Their daughter is fiercely independent, like both of them. Keeping tabs on her every move will only push her to rebel against Frank and Claire, which is the last thing they need to be dealing with.

Later that night, Frank calls a family meeting, wanting their daughter to be apprised of the latest developments regarding the investigation.

"You were in the room with him? Did he admit to driving the car, Daddy?" Hannah asks, her eyes wide with fear. She glances at her mother, who seems less freaked out by all of this than her and Frank.

Frank isn't going to tell his daughter what Kinsey called her or his threat.

"No. We only have proof that he accepted a payment from someone the day before your accident, but nothing else."

"So, does that mean that he is free?" Hannah shivers, she doesn't want this person anywhere near her or her parents.

"He is still being held for the time being, but as I told your mother, I don't want you going anywhere by yourself. Meechum is to be with you at all times. Is that understood?"

Hannah readily agrees, she has grown accustomed to the agent being by her side constantly. She actually enjoys Meechum's company. The agent keeps to himself and offers an embarrassing anecdote about his time serving under her father every so often.

"What about you guys?" Hannah asks.

"Honey, don't worry about us. We are protected," Claire assures their daughter. Frank nods in agreement and rests his hand on his wife's knee.

"Your mother and I have agents with us at all times, nobody is getting near us."

"Are you guys still going to South Carolina next week?" Hannah probes.

Frank and Claire take an annual trip back to his Congressional district in South Carolina to fundraise and meet with constituents. Hannah sometimes tags along if she isn't in school.

Claire looks at Frank, she completely forgot about the trip. She thinks it would be unnecessary to cancel.

"Yes. We can arrange for you to stay at Lauren's, or she can come here if you would rather," Claire says to Hannah. She can tell her daughter is still apprehensive, so she sits down next to her on the couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "If you would feel safer coming with us, you can do that too."

"I'll be fine, Mom. Really," Hannah feels she needs to prove to herself that she can handle being away from her parents for a few days. Ever since her accident, she has become frighteningly aware of how dangerous being one of Washington's elite really is. She doesn't resent her father for being vice president, but she doesn't appreciate the unwanted attention that the job brings.

Claire dusts a kiss to her daughter's head and wishes her goodnight before heading upstairs. She has a feeling Frank will linger, wanting to talk to their daughter in private.

"Han, what's really on your mind?" Frank asks. For as much as their daughter is like Claire, she is also like him. Hannah got the quiet plotting from Claire, and the need to express herself from him.

"I'm worried about Mom," Hannah admits softly.

"Why?" Frank asks and then answers his own question. "You mean, because of the baby?"

"Yeah. Once it gets out there, won't they come for her next?"

Hannah is asking exactly what Frank has been thinking for the past few weeks. Claire would be an easy target now that she is pregnant. He couldn't even imagine what would become of him if something happened to her.

"Sweetheart, I wouldn't let anything happen to your mother."

"Don't promise me that, Daddy. You don't know what these people are capable of." Frank nods, thinking what Hannah says is fair. He won't lie to his child, but there are certain realities that a thirteen-year-old doesn't need to be aware of.

"You're right, I won't promise you that. I will say that I would die before I let anything happen to you or your mom."

"Okay," Frank reaches over and pinches Hannah's cheek, something the teenager has seen him do to her mother on a daily basis. Hannah smiles and excuses herself to go to bed.

Frank smokes a cigarette before joining Claire upstairs. Claire gets a whiff of him and grins.

"I wish I could've joined you," Claire mumbles as Frank lays diagonally on their bed, his head resting on her shoulder. He reaches across with one arm and rests it on her stomach, rubbing it softly.

"You will…in about six months."

"What did you and Hannah talk about?"

"She was just worried about you."

"Me? Why?" Claire furrows her eyebrows and looks down at her husband. She didn't think she would be the topic of their conversation.

"She thinks that because you are pregnant there is a target on your back. I just told her that I would do everything I could to protect you." Claire tilts her head so it's brushing up against Frank's.

"I know. Should I talk to her?"

"I don't think that's necessary."

Three days later, Frank comes home well after midnight to find Claire passed out on the couch. He smiles when he hears her snoring softly, one hand tucked behind her head, the other resting on her stomach. She jerks awake when he sets his briefcase and keys down on the end table.

"Hey, why aren't you upstairs?" Frank asks softly. Usually, when he gets home this late, Claire is already fast asleep in their bed. He sits across from her on the coffee table, grabbing one of her hands as she swivels to face him.

"I was waiting for you. How'd it go?" Claire asks. Frank shakes his head, he has been dealing with Walker and Tusk arguing for the past few days without any headway.

"Not good."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing, yet. Is Hannah asleep?"

Claire shakes her head and rubs her eyes.

"No, she is at a movie with Lauren and some friends." She can see the panic rise in her husband's eyes at her statement. "Don't worry, Meechum and an army of Secret Service agents are with them. Nobody can even approach her without getting patted down."

Frank squeezes her hand and brings her over to the windowsill to join him for a cigarette. Claire stretches out her legs, watching her husband gather them up to place them in his lap. He lights the cigarette and presses it to his lips. Claire looks at him longingly, wishing she could join in.

"One puff won't hurt the baby," Frank tells her and passes her the cigarette. She nods and inhales while her husband starts massaging her feet.

"I've missed this," Claire comments softly.

"So have I." She reluctantly gives the cigarette back to him. "Have you heard anything about Kinsey?"

"He is being moved to a federal detention facility to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before they formally charge him."

Claire nods and sighs in relief. She is happy Kinsey won't be able to hurt her and her family any more than he already has. Although, they still have to find the source of this onslaught of violence. Kinsey is only a small part, not the whole piece.

"Claire, stop thinking so much," Frank recognizes the expression on his wife's face. Claire wants revenge, but there isn't much they can do right now. Hopefully, Kinsey was wrong, and the accident was just a one-off.

"I want a boy," Claire declares out-of-the-blue. "What do you want?" She skims her hand over her stomach, which is starting to form a tangible bump.

Frank lets out a puff of smoke and considers his wife's question. He doesn't particularly care what they have, as long as it's healthy.

"A boy would be nice. Not that I don't mind being surrounded by girls." Claire laughs and reaches for the cigarette, only to be denied by Frank.

"Oh, come on, it's no fun doing it alone."

Hannah and Meechum come through the door, stopping to see what is unfolding between Frank and Claire.

"You two are smoking by the windowsill. Why?" Claire drops her pursuit of her husband's cigarette and tilts her head to look over at her daughter.

"We haven't in a while and missed it, that's all." Frank answers for the both of them. Hannah slumps her shoulders in defeat, she was hoping her parents were plotting something she could be a part of.

"Damn. Well, I'm going to bed," Hannah walks over and kisses both of her parents' goodnight.

"Why does she always think we are up to something when we are smoking?" Frank asks Claire.

"Because we usually are. Finish your cigarette and let's go to bed."

"What do you think of this?" Frank asks Claire about the Tusk and Walker situation the next day in his office. He is struggling to see what the best play is to circumvent Walker's authority and get Tusk off his back at the same time.

Claire accepts a paper from her husband and scans it. She has been keeping tabs on the ever-growing problem from afar. Frank hasn't fully briefed her until now.

"I wonder if…" Claire is interrupted by Doug bursting into the room.

"What is it Doug?" Frank trusts his chief of staff to only barge into his office on pressing matters only.

"It's Kinsey. He committed suicide in his cell an hour ago."

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Frank and Claire fight about their different approaches to the Kinsey situation and something bad happens in South Carolina. I gave you an extra-long chapter, so I expect extra reviews, so I know you guys are still interested in this. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Like many of you, I am experiencing a lot of different emotions regarding the whole Kevin Spacey/** _ **House of Cards**_ **situation, but I still want to continue writing this. I am so excited about sharing my favorite chapter with you, I hope you love it as much I do!**

 **Chapter Seven.**

Frank and Claire glance at each other in confusion. They aren't sure if this is a good development for them or not. With Kinsey being dead, it eliminates the chance of him going after them again, but they never got to find out who he was working for. If there's other people in Kinsey's network out there, the Underwoods will never know.

"Are we sure it was a suicide?" Frank asks. It's easy to stage a suicide, especially if the person is a liability who needs to be silenced.

"It's too early to tell. All I know is they found him hanging in his cell with pieces of ripped clothing wrapped around his neck. Secret Service is cutting him down and bringing him to the medical examiner to perform an official autopsy."

"Okay, thanks Doug," Frank tells him. He needs to talk with Claire privately about this. Doug gives the couple a clipped nod and shows himself out.

Claire leans against Frank's desk, watching her husband pace in front of her.

"Damn it. He was our only link!" Frank exclaims after a few moments of silence. "He said this wasn't over. What are we supposed to do, Claire?"

She doesn't say anything for a minute, working through this mess they found themselves in silently. Frank processes everything out loud, she internalizes her thoughts until she finds a way to eloquently express them.

Honestly, there isn't much they can do. There is nobody to go after until someone else comes forward. Hannah doesn't remember anyone else who was in the car with her at the time of the accident. They have reached a dead end with Kinsey's death.

"We have to move on," Claire says as her eyes flicker up to her husband. She realizes he isn't going to like her answer, but she is right.

"What? He came after us, our daughter, Claire!" Frank raises his voice at her, not comprehending her whole laid-back strategy about Kinsey.

"And now he's dead, Francis. We can't keep living our lives like this."

"Like what?"

"You are scared and that is not how I will live. Our daughter and this child," Claire sets her hand on her stomach, "need to know they have nothing to be afraid of."

"Just because you don't want to see something, doesn't mean it's not there."

"And what exactly do you suggest we do, Francis? Tear down the White House until we find the people responsible? We don't even know where to begin."

"What happened to you? You were the one who wanted to make these people suffer."

Claire rolls her lips together, trying to find a way to explain herself to her husband.

"I did when we knew who we were going after. I'm not saying we should stop looking all together, but we don't have a credible lead to pursue right now."

"So, what? You want to wait until one of these people attacks our daughter again? Or God forbid, one of us?"

Claire shakes her head and pushes herself off of Frank's desk to face him directly.

"Of course not. I'm just saying that you are reacting out of fear when that is not what we should be doing."

Frank and Claire could not be on more opposite sides about their approach to Kinsey. At this point, they are just going in circles, waiting for the other to say something that will push them over the edge.

"Oh, grow up and stop being so fucking naive Claire! I'm trying to protect our family, I don't know what the hell you are doing."

Frank watches Claire stiffen, and he immediately regrets what he said. He can tell he hurt her feelings by his comment.

"Claire," he begins and reaches for her, but she brushes past him, quietly shutting the door to his office on her way out.

"Shit!" Frank exclaims and throws all the papers on the desk onto the floor.

When Claire gets home later that day, Hannah is sitting at the dining room table doing her homework.

"Hey Mom," Hannah says offhandedly as Claire sits down across from her.

"Hi," Claire mumbles. Hannah glances over her mother's shoulder, wondering why her father isn't steps behind her.

"When's Dad going to be home?"

"I don't know."

Hannah raises her eyebrows. Something is different about her mother today. If her parents don't come home together, Claire always offers an explanation about Frank's whereabouts. The teenager further examines her mom, who is trying her best not to appear sad.

"Everything okay, Mom?" Hannah isn't expecting to get an honest answer out of Claire. The teenager knows her mother is notorious for suppressing her feelings, something she inherited from her.

"Yes. I'm going for a run." Claire stands up and stamps a kiss to Hannah's head.

Hannah watches her mother climb the stairs and furrows her eyebrows. Her mother never goes for a run at night, unless something or _someone_ is stressing her out. And her father typically accompanies her. It's their time together to sort out the complex problems Washington gives them to solve. Also, her mother didn't seem to care about when her father is coming home, which is odd.

The teenager concludes her parents are in the midst of a fight. It doesn't happen often, but it's apocalyptic when it does. Hannah knows her parents are two incredibly honest people, especially with each other. It's what makes their marriage so successful. Although it can lead to conflicts at times.

Frank and Claire make a point not to argue in front of their daughter, but that doesn't make it any less awkward. Hannah remembers two years ago when her parents were arguing they didn't speak to each other for three days. Her father made himself scarce around the townhouse while her mother did her best to pretend like nothing was wrong. Hannah didn't know anything was different between her parents until she caught her dad sleeping on the couch. Then, one morning, her father brought her mother a coffee with a kiss and all was right in the world again. Typically, Hannah never sees her parents make up, she just hears it during the middle of the night.

There is nothing Hannah can do until her parents work it out amongst themselves. Claire won't tell her what happened, and neither will Frank. Her parents are tight-lipped about their disagreements, never wanting to talk behind the others back. Hannah shakes her head when she hears the front door close a few minutes later.

Hours later, Frank quietly enters the townhouse. He ascends the stairs, wanting to check on Hannah before going to bed. A sliver of light peeking through the room is enough to wake up the teenager.

"Dad?" Hannah asks, her voice thick with sleep.

"It's just me, go back to bed," Frank tells his daughter, and turns around to walk out of the room.

"Dad?" Hannah asks again.

"What?" Frank asks and shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Are you and Mom okay?" Hannah watches her father hesitate to answer her question and that's all the proof she needs.

"Yeah, why?" Frank wonders if Claire told their daughter anything when she got home earlier. He doubts it. His wife is private about their marriage, even with Hannah. Their daughter knows as much as she needs to about her parents.

"She went for a run when she got home. She only does that with you at night." Frank turns around and approaches Hannah's bed, sitting on the edge.

"Your mother had a hard day at work, I'm sure she just had a lot on her mind. I'll go talk to her. Get some sleep," Frank kisses Hannah's temple and exits her room, going into his own.

He frowns when their bed is still perfectly made, with his wife nowhere to be found. However, he can see the bathroom light on. He knocks softly and enters when he gets her permission. Claire is nestled under bubbles in the bathtub, her feet dangling over the edge.

"Hi," Frank starts and leans down so he is eye-level with her. "I'm…"

"Don't. You know how much I hate apologies," Claire mutters. "We both said awful things to each other we didn't mean."

Frank reaches over to lightly pinch her cheek. He appreciates his wife not making him grovel, they both realize they are above that.

"I love you," he whispers.

"I love you too." Claire says and bends forward to drain the bathtub. Frank grabs her a towel and wraps her in it. Claire reaches up to kiss him and then walks ahead of him, discarding her towel halfway to their bed. She looks at him over her shoulder, tilting her head towards the bed, coaxing him to join her.

"No, my teacher's being ridiculous. Dad and Walker aren't going to start a war with the Chinese, right?" Hannah asks Claire the next morning over breakfast. So far, the teenager has not seen her father come downstairs. She wonders if he snuck out earlier before she woke up so he didn't have to see her mother.

"Your father is doing everything he can to prevent that, Hannah," Claire assures her daughter. Suddenly, Claire senses her husband's lips on her cheek and a glass of tea set in front of her. Hannah's eyebrows lift in surprise, but quickly returns to a neutral expression. She is glad her parents have made up, it makes her life a lot easier.

"What am I doing to prevent what?" Frank asks, joining the conversation midway.

"Hannah's teacher told her that you and Garrett are going to start a war with the Chinese," Claire fills in her husband. Frank rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his coffee.

"Ridiculous. Tell your teacher that I think she's an idiot."

Hannah laughs as her mother glares at her father over the rim of the coffee mug.

"Well, Dad's not wrong. I have to go. Nice to see you two back together again," Hannah says over her shoulder and hurries out of the townhouse before her parents can ask her about her comment.

"Nice to see you two back together again?" Frank asks Claire. Claire shrugs and swallows the rest of her tea before getting up to stand next to her husband.

"Apparently our daughter thought we were on the brink of divorce last night." Claire smiles and squeezes her husband's bicep as she walks past him.

Doug steps into stride with Frank as soon as he enters the White House.

"Sir, I have something to show you," Doug says and hands Frank a folder. Frank scans it as the pair walk to his office.

"Did the medical examiner do an autopsy already?" Doug shakes his head,

"No, but he didn't have to. Someone disabled the camera in Kinsey's cell yesterday. Sir, this was deliberate."

Frank glances up from the folder to look at his chief of staff.

"Are you saying Kinsey's death wasn't a suicide?"

"Yes, Sir, that's precisely what I'm saying."

Frank isn't exactly surprised by Doug's revelation. He suspected from the beginning Kinsey didn't off himself. Kinsey was having too much fun toying with the Underwoods', Frank could tell when he talked to him in the holding facility. There was no way he would just bow out voluntarily, he had to have been killed. This puts the Underwoods' in a horrible position. Now, not only do they not know who Kinsey was working for, but they have no idea who murdered him either.

"Where's Claire?" Frank asks Doug.

"She is in a meeting with the State Department at the moment. I'll have her come to your office as soon as she is done."

"Good. Do we have any idea who could have done this?"

"Secret Service were the only people who have had access to Kinsey in the past twenty-four hours. It had to be one of them," Doug says.

Frank nods. The only people in the car with Hannah at the time of her accident were Secret Service agents as well. Although, their motive is unclear. Why would Secret Service want to hurt his family? The only explanation that makes sense to Frank is they are working for someone higher up who has the resources to place agents where they need to be at the correct times.

Doug leaves his boss to process everything he has relayed to him. Frank sits at his desk, trying to figure out what his next move should be. The people who are paid to protect him, Claire and Hannah are the ones trying to kill them. No amount of heightened security will help them when the threat is internal.

"Francis, what's going on?" Claire asks a few hours later. Doug was waiting outside of her meeting, pulling her aside to tell her she needed to go to Frank's office.

Frank watches Claire sit on the corner of his desk before he briefs her.

"We now have reason to believe Kinsey was murdered in his cell by Secret Service agents."

Claire absorbs what her husband is telling her. She realizes he wants her to tell him what their next move should be, but she doesn't know. They need to find a way to gain the upper hand in whatever sick game they are a part of. Finding the person pulling the strings in the Secret Service is their best bet. The only problem with that is they have both acquired a lot of enemies throughout their careers, Frank especially.

"It has to be someone that the Secret Service will listen to without question," Claire summarizes. She jerks her head up, "Garrett?"

Frank shakes his head, "No, Walker is too spineless to do something like this. It has to be someone who thinks is helping him by getting us out of the picture."

As soon as Frank finishes his sentence, they come to the same conclusion.

"Raymond Tusk," Claire says for the both of them. Frank nods, it's the only explanation that makes sense at the moment. "He doesn't have access to the Secret Service though."

"He does if Walker gave it to him. Or he has a man on the inside that is willing to help him."

"Francis, do you really think Raymond would do something like this?" Claire doesn't know Tusk well enough to know what he is capable of. Frank has worked side-by-side with him for the past few months. It's no secret the two don't exactly get along.

"I do."

"How do we prove it?"

Frank leans back in his chair with a sigh. If Tusk is responsible for Hannah's accident and Kinsey's murder, he has covered his tracks well. He can tell his wife is practically salivating at the chance to defeat Tusk, but they can't go after him without any proof.

"I'm not sure yet. We should start by going through his financials to see if there's anything. I'll get Doug on it."

Claire nods and hops off her husband's desk. Frank furrows his eyebrows.

"Where are you going?"

"You aren't the only person who has to work around here." She winks at him over her shoulder and shows herself out.

"Are you sure you guys should go to South Carolina?" Hannah asks apprehensively as she watches her parents gather up their luggage. She thinks her parents aren't being careful, even if Kinsey is dead.

Claire hands her suitcase to a Secret Service agent before going over to where her daughter is sitting on the couch.

"We will be fine, Hannah. You can still come with us if you want, it's not too late." Claire doesn't care about their daughter missing school. She knows the teenager is smart enough to catch up.

"No, you and Dad do your thing. It's kind of boring in Gaffney, but don't tell Dad that."

Claire smiles at Hannah as Frank comes downstairs.

"It will be our secret," Claire mumbles to Hannah. Frank eyes Claire and Hannah suspiciously, they both have the same expression on their face when they are plotting something.

"Are you ready to go, Claire?" Frank asks. Claire nods and hugs Hannah, giving her a kiss goodbye. Frank drops his suitcase by the door and goes over to his daughter.

"Be safe," Hannah whispers to Frank while he hugs her.

"I will. Don't worry," Frank tells Hannah and lightly pinches her cheek.

"Hannah, we will have our phones on if you need to call us. There's plenty of money on the counter for food. Do not go anywhere without Meechum," Claire says sternly. If the Secret Service is involved, they know Frank and Claire have left town, leaving Hannah by herself for two days. The teenager shouldn't be gallivanting around D.C. alone, it would be too easy for someone to attack her again.

"I won't, now _go._ "

Frank grabs Claire's hand, taking her to an awaiting vehicle.

"What did Hannah say to you before we left?" Frank asks on the way to the airport.

"She said going to Gaffney is boring."

Frank laughs at his daughter's honesty. He doesn't blame the teenager, Frank doesn't want to go to these fundraising events himself. The only reason he drags Claire along is because the public loves her. And it's good to get her face out there for when she decides to run for office later on.

"She's right." Claire nods in agreement and reaches over to clasp her husband's hand.

"I still have that picture of Hannah red-faced and screaming after Senator West wanted to hold her after that campaign event in Spartanburg." Frank bursts into laughter, remembering how their stubborn daughter didn't want to be held by anyone else except her parents as a toddler.

"I'm pretty sure she peed on him too," Frank adds through his laughter. Claire laughs as well, happy to have a distraction after dealing with the aftermath of Kinsey's death for the past few days.

Frank and Claire land in South Carolina a few hours after leaving Washington. They are brought to their house in Gaffney so they can change before beginning their myriad of events. There are only two days for them to accomplish a litany of appearances, all culminating in a rally tomorrow afternoon.

"If you are tired and want to take a break, let me know," Frank tells Claire. He knows his wife refuses to slow down even now that she is pregnant, but with their packed schedule, it's easy to burn out.

Claire gives him a curt nod. She will only attend the events that the public expects her to be at, no more. She is now entering her fourth month of pregnancy and exhaustion has become a common symptom for her. Frank often catches her napping in her office in between meetings. To her credit, Claire has cut back her hours drastically and is serious about taking care of herself for their child.

"Claire and I would like to thank everyone for coming out tonight to show your support," Frank says and wraps his arm around Claire's waist while they wave to the adoring crowd.

Frank and Claire step off stage, smiling when they hear the crowd chanting "Underwood." Claire yawns as her and Frank are escorted to their car.

"Please tell me that was the last event for today," Frank says. The dinner for the Gaffney City Council was their sixth event of the day since landing this morning.

"I hope so, my feet are killing me," Claire slips off her heels and rubs her aching feet. She might have to switch to flats soon as she progresses in her pregnancy.

They arrive back at their Gaffney house an hour later. Claire scoops her phone out of her purse, dialing Hannah while Frank hops in the shower.

"Hey Mom, how's Gaffney? I saw you guys on the news earlier," Hannah says.

"Oh, it's fine, nothing exciting. You were right about staying home. How's being at home without us?"

"It's fine, nothing exciting," Hannah parrots her mother. "Meechum has been watching me like a hawk. He hasn't been more than five feet away from me since you guys left earlier. Where's dad?"

"Your father went to take a shower. I can have him call you when he's done."

"No, that's okay. I will see you guys when you get back."

"Call if you need anything. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom. Bye."

Claire hangs up the phone and gets ready for bed. Frank joins her a little while later, wrapping an arm around her to pull her close.

"Hannah okay?" Frank asks while skating his fingertips on her bare arm.

"Yeah, she said she saw us on the news earlier and that Meechum won't leave her alone."

"Good. I'm glad Meechum is watching her so closely." Claire realizes the only reason Hannah isn't here with them is because Meechum is with her. She is happy her husband trusts the Secret Service agent so much to look after their daughter while they are away.

"Get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow," Frank says and stamps a kiss to her hair. Claire reaches across him to swipe one of his pillows, reminding them of the first few years they spent here trying to get his political career of the ground. Frank smirks and yanks the covers off of her in retaliation.

The next afternoon, Frank and Claire are at a rally in front of Gaffney's Town Hall. They are about to go on stage, but they want to do a run-through of their lines first.

"So, you go on stage first and then you introduce me," Frank tells Claire. Claire nods, knowing the routine by now. She goes out first to hype up the crowd, Frank joins her, they embrace and then she stands back to let him talk.

"Okay, tell them we are ready," Claire instructs one of the workers at the rally.

"It is my honor to introduce Mrs. Claire Underwood," the mayor of Gaffney says and waits for Claire to appear. Claire steps out and walks to the podium, waving to the crowd on the way there. Frank watches his wife work the crowd from the wings.

"Francis and I really appreciate you guys coming out and showing your support," Claire yells over the cheering crowd. "It makes what we do worthwhile to see everyone coming out here for us. We always hold a special place in our hearts for the people of Gaffney. Without you, we wouldn't be where we are, so we thank you guys deeply for that." Claire waits for the applause to die down before continuing her speech. "I know you guys didn't come here just to listen to me, so I would like to bring out my husband, Vice President Frank Underwood."

Claire turns her head to face Frank just as a shot rings out, striking her in the shoulder. The crowd collectively gasps and Frank watches in horror as his wife collapses in a pool of blood.

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Frank and Claire learn the true cost of their political aspirations. Please review, it makes me so happy to hear your thoughts. Thank you for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi guys, thank you for sticking around and leaving your lovely reviews, they mean so much to me. This is another one of my favorite chapters, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Chapter Eight.**

"Claire!" Frank yells, hoping she can register his voice. Secret Service is swarming around him, but he breaks through their barrier, desperate to get to her. Another shot permeates the air and is absorbed by the wooden podium.

Claire remains motionless on the ground, blood running down her arm from the wound in her shoulder.

"Oh my God," Frank whispers when he kneels beside his wife. He needs to get her out of here immediately. "Help! We need help!" His command comes out as hoarse.

Claire groans as he tries to move her and shakes her head. The pain radiating down her arm is too intense for him to be jostling her.

"I need you stay with me, Claire. Okay? Please, just stay with me," Frank scoops her up, holding her close to his body while Secret Service surrounds him.

Claire moans in pain and uses her free arm to wrap around Frank's neck. Secret Service Agents form a shield around the couple with their guns drawn, ready to fire at anyone attempting to get close. With Frank's help, they get Claire loaded in an ambulance. An oxygen mask is put over Claire's face and she is hooked up to a heart monitor. Frank holds Claire's free hand while the paramedics work to address her wound.

"F…Fran…cis," Claire says and tries to take the mask off her face.

"Don't try to talk sweetheart," Frank whispers and brushes some hair away from her eyes. He doesn't want her to waste her energy. Of course, Claire ignores him, so he briefly holds the mask away from her face in order for her to speak.

"Han…Get…" Claire whispers to him and then her eyes roll back into her head.

"Claire!" Frank yells, looking to the paramedics for an explanation as to what just happened to his wife.

"She's going into shock, we need to get to the hospital, now," a paramedic tells him.

Frank wants to pass out and throw up at the same time. If Claire doesn't make it, he won't either. All he can do is hold her hand and hope she comes out of this alive.

When they arrive at the hospital moments later, the paramedics work to get Claire out of the ambulance with Frank on their tail.

"Forty-two-year-old female, gunshot wound to the right shoulder. BP is falling, pulse is thready, she seems to be in shock," the paramedic relays to a doctor in the emergency room.

"Alright, bring her over here," the doctor looks up at Frank briefly, shocked to see the vice president in the hospital. He glances down at the bed, realizing he is now treating the second lady of the United States. "Jesus, that's Claire Underwood. Sir, you can't come in," the doctor tells Frank and closes the curtain before the vice president can argue.

Frank is left outside pacing while the medical staff is working to save Claire's life. He places his head against the wall, needing the cold surface to cool him down. The nausea he is feeling overwhelms him and he vomits in a nearby trash can.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Hannah is sitting in U.S. politics class trying not to roll her eyes at everything that comes out of her teacher's mouth. Her teacher is very anti-Walker and makes snide comments about his administration, including Frank, any chance she gets.

Suddenly, a girl two seats behind Hannah gasps at something she sees on her phone.

"Jasmine, anything you want to share with the class?" Hannah's teacher asks the girl.

"Ms. Newbury, turn on the news, there's something you need to see."

"Fine, this better be good," Ms. Newbury mumbles to herself and turns on the television.

" _We have some breaking news to report. It appears Vice President Frank Underwood's wife, Claire, has been shot at a rally in South Carolina." The news anchor says into the camera._

Hannah freezes in her chair as the news station plays footage of her mother getting shot. She sees her mother fall and her father run over to her before the clip cuts off. The teenager can sense every classmate's eyes on her. Everyone in her school is well aware of who her parents are.

"Mom," Hannah whispers with tears in her eyes. She bends down to wipe her eyes, not wanting anyone to see her cry.

" _We don't know the extent of the damage, but we can confirm Mrs. Underwood was taken to a nearby hospital in Gaffney. We will update you when we know more on her condition. And we have new information on…"_

Hannah's teacher turns off the TV, not wanting to upset the teenager anymore.

"Excuse me, I need to see Hannah," Meechum appears in the threshold of the door. Hannah collects her things, keeping her head down until she reaches Meechum.

"I've been instructed to take you to your parents in South Carolina," Meechum tells Hannah as they are walking to a car parked outside Hannah's school. Hannah sniffs and nods, she has to keep herself together. For all she knows, it's a minor wound the media sensationalized for ratings. Until she sees her father, there's nothing to worry about.

"Meechum, have you heard anything about her?" Hannah asks.

"No, I'm sorry, Hannah. I promise I will let you know as soon as I hear an update on your mom."

Hannah shuts the door to the car and slumps back in her seat, flicking away a tear arcing down her cheek.

Back at the hospital, Frank is approached by the same doctor who met him at the door with the paramedics.

"How is she?" Frank asks the doctor, hoping for the best. The doctor lets out a long sigh, which sets Frank on edge.

"We need to take her into surgery right away. The bullet nicked her subclavian artery, which is the reason for all the bleeding. Is there anything I should be aware of?"

"No…yes. She is four months pregnant. Nobody knows." _So, don't tell the media,_ Frank thinks to himself.

"Honestly, Mr. Vice President, the chances of saving the baby are slim. We will do everything we can for her…for them. I need to go, someone will be out to update you when we know more."

Frank nods and buries his face in his hands. He feels utterly useless, a feeling he hates more than anything.

"Sir, I just heard," Doug says as he runs towards Frank. He hands his boss a fresh change of clothes. Frank glances at them at confusion, but then remembers Claire was pressed up against him. The clothes he is wearing are stained carmine with her blood. Frank accepts the clothes and sits down, the dizziness he was experiencing earlier has returned.

"Thanks, Doug. Where's Hannah?"

"Meechum picked her up from school. They boarded a plane about twenty minutes ago, they should here in about two hours."

Frank nods and doesn't say anything else for a few moments.

"Doug, I want to know who the fuck is responsible for this. I want the whole goddamn Secret Service put on notice. I will come for whoever did this to my wife until they are in the fucking ground."

"Okay, Sir," Doug leaves his boss to relay his message. Whoever shot Claire is going to die by Frank's hand, Doug is sure of that.

Two hours later, Frank is still waiting for an update on his wife's condition. He has been fielding calls from the president, who sends his best wishes, and Doug, who has been periodically giving him information about the shooting. They have been running down leads, but so far, there is nothing concrete to report. No one at the rally has provided any worthwhile information.

"Daddy," Hannah says and rushes over to Frank, hugging him fiercely. She feels her dad's hand cup her head, brushing his lips to her hair. Hannah sniffs loudly, trying her best to hold back the tears threatening to fall. She refuses to let herself fall apart, her dad needs her to be strong. The teenager pulls away to face her father. "How's Mom?"

Frank wipes away a tear rolling down Hannah's cheek. He wishes he had answers for his daughter, but nobody has told him anything.

"I don't know. She went into surgery a couple hours ago so the doctors could take out the bullet. I haven't heard anything since."

"Is she going to be okay, Daddy?"

"I hope so, Han." He won't lie to Hannah. Claire and he have always tried to be honest with their daughter even if she doesn't like the truth. "Listen Han…I'm so sor…"

"No, don't apologize. You know how much Mom hates apologies." Frank smiles at his daughter and pinches her cheek. She is more like Claire than he realized.

Hannah sits down next to her father, leaning her head into his shoulder. She throws up a silent prayer to whoever is listening for her mother to make it through this. Her father will never be the same if her mother doesn't survive. Hannah is frighteningly aware of how much her parents love each other and how lost one would be without the other.

Frank and Hannah fall asleep a little while later, with Meechum standing guard. Eventually, the same doctor who worked on Claire when they first arrived at the hospital comes out, searching for Frank.

"Sir…Mr. Vice President," the doctor rests his hand on Frank's shoulder, making him jump. Hannah wakes up at the abrupt movement by her father and stares up at the doctor. Frank stands up, causing Hannah too as well.

"Hi, do you have an update on my wife?" Frank asks. The doctor nods and then looks down at Hannah, wondering if he should continue with the teenager present. Frank glances at Hannah, "you can say what you need to say in front of her." He will just relay whatever the doctor tells him to his daughter anyway.

"Right, well, your wife has made it through surgery. We were able to remove the bullet and repair the damage to the artery. Unfortunately, Mr. Vice President, we were not able to save the baby. The bleeding was too extensive."

Frank puts his hand over his mouth to hide his shock. He is ecstatic is wife is going to be okay, but she is going to be devastated when he tells her their child didn't survive.

Hannah's eyes float up to her father, who is shaking his head in silence. The teenager realizes she has to take over for Frank.

"When can we see her?" Hannah asks the doctor, giving her father a much-needed reprieve.

"She should be awake in the next few hours. Both of you can sit with her until then. I'll have a nurse escort you to her room. I'm sorry," the doctor mumbles and leaves Hannah and Frank to process the news. Hannah turns around to face her father. He still hasn't said anything, which is rare for him. Her mother is typically the quiet one.

"Dad?" Hannah asks hesitantly. Frank merely walks away from his daughter and out of the hospital. She doesn't bother chasing after her father. He deserves a few minutes to calm down. Besides, Hannah doesn't know if she can stand by and watch her father self-destruct.

A nurse comes by a few minutes later looking for Frank to take him to Claire's room. Hannah looks up from her phone and tells her to come back later when Frank returns from wherever he ran off to.

Frank ditches his detail and steps outside the nearest exit of the hospital. He dry heaves into the bushes. Claire got shot and their baby died because of him. There's nothing anyone can say that doesn't make him regret everything he has done to get to his position. Being vice president, and eventually, president, is not worth it if he doesn't have Claire to share it with. Even though he knows she's okay, she won't be fine for a while. She will blame herself for the miscarriage when she had nothing to do with it. Some madman with a gun and a vendetta against the Underwoods' wanted them to suffer. And, sadly, they accomplished what they set out to do.

"God Damnit!" Frank exclaims and slams his fist into the outer wall of the hospital.

Hannah changes her mind and asks the nurse for her mother's room number for when her father comes back. She sets her phone down when her father sits down next to her. He looks even more haggard than he did before, but the teenager is still happy to see him.

"Are you ready to see Mom?" Hannah asks.

"Yeah…Han, you're being really brave," Frank admits quietly. His daughter is handling this situation better than he is. Not that he is surprised, Hannah has always been mature for her age.

"Thanks Dad. Let's go see Mom." She stands up first and offers her hand to her father. Frank wraps his arm around his daughter's shoulders and walks with her to Claire's room.

"Meechum will take you back to the Gaffney house when you are ready. I'm going to stay here with your mother," Frank tells his daughter before they enter the room. Hannah nods, although she has plans to pass out in a recliner while they wait for Claire to wake up.

Frank opens the door and swallows his gasp at the sight of his wife lying in the hospital bed. A sling is wrapped around her damaged shoulder, tubes and wires snake out from all points of her body. Hannah sits at the foot of the bed, being careful not to jostle Claire in any way. Frank scoots a chair up against the rails of the bed and holds Claire's good hand. This reminds him of when Hannah had her accident a few months back. There was nothing he could do for his daughter but watch her recover. And now he's in a similar predicament with Claire. He should be out there trying to find out who did this to his wife, but he can't.

"She doesn't look like Mom," Hannah comments. The teenager has always seen her mother as this larger-than-life person who can handle any situation thrown her way without losing her cool. She doesn't want to have this image of her mother sedated in a hospital bed in her mind ever again.

Frank nods and squeezes Claire's hand.

"Han, she will be up in a few hours scolding us for worrying about her. We just have to give it time."

Hannah and Frank sit with Claire all night, ignoring the nurses coming in periodically to check on her vitals. Frank insists that his daughter goes back to their house in Gaffney, but Hannah tells him she isn't leaving until Claire wakes up. He relents and tells her to make herself comfortable in the recliner. Within a few hours of being in Claire's room, they both fall asleep.

At around three in the morning, Claire's eyes flutter open. She is heavily medicated and unsure of where she is at or what's going on. Claire glances down at the sling on her right shoulder and tries to move it, but the joint protests.

"Ow," Claire whispers. Her eyes flicker around the room, spotting Hannah curled up in a recliner and her husband fast asleep in a chair next to her bed, still holding her hand. Claire furrows her eyebrows, she has no idea what Hannah is doing here. Something bad must have happened to her for her daughter to fly to South Carolina.

Hannah rolls over in her sleep and bumps her knee into the tray hovering over the recliner.

"Son of a…Mom?" Hannah asks, now that she is fully awake.

"Hi honey," Claire mumbles. Her daughter throws off her father's blazer used to cover herself and gently approaches her mom.

"Hi. Oh my God. How do you feel?" Hannah asks while using one arm to hug her mother. Claire shakes her head, she isn't sure. Her shoulder hurts, her mouth is dry, and her eyes feel heavy.

"I don't know…tired."

"Should I wake Dad up?" Hannah hands Claire a cup of water to alleviate her sore throat. Claire takes a sip and hands the water back to her daughter.

"No, let him sleep. We can talk in the morning." Claire doesn't have the mental capacity right now to sort through everything that happened. She would rather discuss it with Frank tomorrow when she is more alert.

"I'm so glad you are okay, Mom. You had Dad scared shitless for a while."

"Thanks Hannah. I'm sorry you had to deal with your father. I'm sure he didn't make it easy for you."

"He only threatened to kill a few people while you were in surgery," Hannah says nonchalantly. Claire carefully reaches up to touch her daughter's cheek and glances at her husband's sleeping frame.

"Only a few? That's good for him. Get some sleep." Hannah nods and eases herself off Claire's bed, going back to the recliner.

Hannah resumes her position and glances over at her mother to already find her fast asleep.

Frank wakes up the next morning and winces at the pain in his back from being slumped over all night. He raises his head and rubs his eyes, not noticing his wife staring at him.

"Hey," Claire says quietly, not wanting to wake their daughter. Frank's mouth flips open in disbelief.

"Hey." He cups her cheek and presses a kiss to her lips. "How do you feel, sweetheart?" Claire shrugs and then bites her lip at the movement. She forgets her shoulder is wounded, however that happened.

"I'm fine. What's going on?"

Frank and Claire are interrupted by their daughter waking up. Hannah stretches and looks at her parents. It's clear she disrupted their conversation.

"Hey Mom, Dad, I'm going to go…get us breakfast." The teenager thinks her parents need some time alone. She doesn't want to be in the room when her father tells her mother about the miscarriage.

"Okay, get me some coffee," Frank hands Hannah a twenty with a wink. He appreciates their daughter giving him and Claire some time to themselves. Hannah takes the money and quickly exits the room.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Frank asks his wife.

"We were at the rally, rehearsing our lines before going on stage…that's it." Claire says with a defeated expression on her face.

"Hey, it's okay. You went on stage first and gave your speech. You turned to face me and then you got shot in the shoulder."

"Oh…okay…" Claire has no memory of any of this. "What's the damage?"

"You had to have surgery to remove the bullet. It hit an artery in your shoulder and caused massive blood loss." Claire is still trying to wrap her head around the fact someone shot her.

"And the baby?" Claire asks. She can tell by the agonizing look on her husband's face, that it can't be good news. Frank squeezes her hand and lets out a breath.

"I…" He won't apologize to her because that's not what she would want. "The baby didn't make it, Claire."

Claire slowly nods and jerks her head away from Frank. He keeps his eyes on her, waiting for some kind of reaction. Her face crumples seconds later and she puts the hand Frank was previously holding to her mouth to stifle her sobs. Frank stands up and climbs into bed next to her, being mindful of her shoulder and the wiring stemming from her body. She readjusts slightly so her head is resting on his chest. Their fingers lace together at his thigh. He uses his free hand to gently twine behind her neck, bringing her trembling body closer to him.

No words are passed between them for a while. Claire periodically uses her good arm to brush tears away from her face. He stamps a kiss to her temple. He wishes there's something he could say to comfort her at a time like this. Promising her they can try again is useless, an apology she won't accept. Nothing they could say to each other will make what happened okay.

"Francis?" Claire whispers and sniffs loudly.

"Yes?" He locks eyes with her.

"We have to kill whoever did this to us."

"We will. I can promise you that."

Hannah steps off the elevator at the surgical recovery floor. She is trying to balance two coffee cups in one hand while texting in the other. Meechum is standing outside the door, which Hannah foolishly left open when she went for coffee. The teenager shoves her phone in her pocket and peeks into the room to see if it's safe to enter. Her parents are curled up in the bed together and the teenager watches Claire use the back of her hand to wipe away a stray tear. Hannah shakes her head at Meechum and quietly shuts the door behind her. Her parents deserve time alone to grieve.

 **A/N 2: I know it's a little sad, but I just couldn't see them with two children. Next chapter, Claire deals with her miscarriage in her own way and Hannah questions her parents' plans. Thanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As always, thank you for the lovely reviews, I love reading them. Enjoy the latest chapter.**

 **Chapter Nine.**

Frank lays in bed with Claire until she falls back asleep. He is grateful the pain medication is coursing through her, giving her much-needed relief. Frank carefully extracts himself from his wife, not wanting to wake her. He shuts the door to Claire's room and spots Hannah sipping her coffee on a bench a few steps away.

"Sorry, your coffee got cold," Hannah says when her father sits down next to her. Frank accepts the beverage anyway. He is grateful to the teenager for not barging in earlier. It wasn't an easy conversation to have with his wife, and Hannah didn't need to be privy to that. "Is Mom asleep?"

"Yeah, I upped her Morphine when she wasn't looking," Frank halfheartedly jokes. Hannah manages a small smile and averts her eyes, choosing to look at her coffee cup instead of her father. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong or am I going to have guess?"

Hannah locks eyes with her father, her eyebrows raised. She opens her mouth to protest and then thinks better of it.

"You will think it's silly."

"Not if it's coming from you," Frank says sincerely. He wants to know what's on his daughter's mind because she doesn't express herself often; a trait she acquired from Claire.

"Is what happened to Mom my fault? You know, because of the accident?" Hannah asks, fully expecting the shocked look on her father's face.

"Han, listen to me. You and your mother and…" He can't bring himself to include the child they recently lost. "You guys are victims in this situation. There is nothing we could have done to prevent this. I don't want you thinking what happened is your fault. We will find out who did this, I promise."

"What's going to happen to them?" Hannah asks. She is aware of how ruthless her parents can be. They didn't get to where they are now because her parents are nice people. It wouldn't surprise the teenager if her father admits he will kill anyone responsible.

"Your mother and I will handle it." Hannah is smart enough to know "handle" is Underwood-speak for "murder."

Frank and Hannah are interrupted by his phone vibrating in his pocket. He glances at her apologetically and answers the phone.

"Mr. President, it's nice to hear from you," Frank says. Hannah snickers, knowing her father is lying. She isn't sure, but she thinks her parents are planning to oust Walker from office. Not that Hannah minds, she would love to see her father occupy the Oval Office. And her mother after him.

"Frank, I just wanted to personally call and check on your wife. How's Claire doing? It's awful what happened."

"She's recovering nicely. She already yelled at Hannah and I for worrying about her." Hannah laughs into her hand when her father rolls his eyes.

"I'm glad to hear it. Listen, Frank, I hate to do this to you, but when is the soonest you can be back in Washington?" Frank was expecting this phone call since he's due to be back in D.C. today.

"I understand, Mr. President. I can be on a plane tonight, I just have to talk to Claire first and make sure she is okay with me leaving."

"Of course. Well, tell Claire we are all praying for her and I will see you tomorrow in D.C."

"Thank you, Mr. President," Frank says and hangs up the phone. "Han, _when_ you are president, don't ever be as pathetic as Garrett Walker." Hannah giggles at her father's statement. She finds it funny her parents expect her to be the next president of the United States.

"I promise. I'll have you and Mom to teach me."

The two falls into a comfortable silence while waiting for Claire to wake up again. Frank isn't crazy about leaving his wife behind when he goes back to Washington. He knows she will insist she can make it back by herself just fine, which he believes. He almost considers having Hannah stay with Claire, but his wife doesn't need to be worried about looking after her.

A little while after lunch, Frank receives a frantic call from Doug. He sent his chief of staff back to Washington last night to handle the day-to-day operations of the office of the vice president.

"What is it Doug?" Frank asks.

"Sir, I just received word of a story breaking about Claire. I thought you should know."

"What's it about?"

"A news outlet is claiming Claire's pregnant. There's a video of you two standing together at the rally moments before the shooting. You have your hand on her stomach briefly."

Frank loudly sighs into the phone. The last thing he wants Claire to do is tell the world she had a miscarriage. The news is too fresh for her still and the public doesn't need to be privy to this information.

"She was…but she's not anymore. Doug, we need to shut this story down. Claire shouldn't have to talk to anyone about this."

"I understand. And I know you hate apologies, Sir, but I am sorry this happened. I'll get to work on it." Doug hangs up the phone before Frank can accept his condolences.

"Damn it," Frank mumbles, which catches Hannah's attention.

"Dad? What's wrong?" Hannah hopes her dad isn't going to go nuclear without her mom present. Claire is way better at disarming Frank than Hannah is.

"Someone knows that your mom was pregnant. I told Doug to take care of it." Hannah bites her lip, she feels awful for her parents. She appreciates how private they are, never wanting to seek the spotlight. However, the teenager realizes attention comes with her parents' occupations. Her father will do whatever he can to protect her mother so she doesn't have to answer a single question, Hannah is sure of it.

"Excuse me, Mr. Vice President? I'm sorry to interrupt, your wife is awake and is asking for you," a nurse tells Frank.

"Okay, thank you," Frank politely says back. "I have to talk to your mom really quick about this and then you can come in." Hannah nods and returns to finishing her homework.

Frank goes into Claire's room. He grins slightly when he sees her struggling to feed herself with one arm.

"Do you need help?" Frank asks teasingly. Claire glares at him and defiantly shoves a spoon full of pudding in her mouth.

"No. I hate hospitals. When are they going to release me?" Frank sits down in the chair he previously occupied and snatches the pudding from her.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Walker called, and he wants me back in D.C. as soon as possible. Now, I know they aren't going to let you go for a couple of days, but I can have arrangements made to have you transferred to a hospital at home."

Frank avoids telling Claire about the potential leak for as long as possible. He will, after they sort out where she is going to be staying first.

"I could use a couple days to myself. I don't think you should worry about transferring me up to D.C."

"And Hannah?"

"Take her with you. She needs to go back to school."

Claire believes her husband and daughter should return to their normal routine. There is nothing they can do for her here in South Carolina. Plus, the teenager is probably bored sitting around the hospital, waiting for her mother to be released.

"Meechum is going to stay with you." Frank tells her and takes a bite of the pudding.

"Fine. And what's the other thing you want to tell me?" He shakes his head, they know each other too well.

"Doug called. He said someone figured out that you were…pregnant and wants to go on-air with it. I told him to shut it down."

A melancholy expression washes over Claire's face. For as much as she wants to put this whole situation past her, she can't. She's hoping a few days alone will give her the time to work through everything by herself before coming home to her family.

"I will release a statement if necessary." Frank is sure it won't come to that, but he is proud of her for willing to be candid with the public about her miscarriage.

"Okay, I'll go get Hannah so we can say goodbye before we leave." Frank sets down the pudding and leaves the room, returning moments later with their daughter.

Hannah is apprehensive about leaving Claire behind. She hates being at the hospital constantly, but the last time she was separated from her mother, she got shot.

"Hannah, I'll be fine," Claire assures her and tucks her daughter's hair behind her ear with her good hand.

"I know. I'll see you when you get back," Hannah carefully hugs her mom and leaves the room to give her parents some time alone.

"Francis, I'll be fine, honestly." Claire says. She can tell he is reluctant about leaving her behind. He sighs, his wife is too stubborn for her own good. It would make him feel a lot better if she were transferred to D.C., but he respects her need for time to herself.

"Okay," He stamps a kiss to her lips and pinches her cheek before leaving with Hannah.

Not more than three hours after Frank and Hannah left and Claire is bored out of her mind. There is nothing for her to do except lie in bed and recover. She carefully leans over to scoop up her iPhone charging on the nightstand. Her finger hovers over Frank's contact information, but she shakes her head. They spoke to each other a few hours ago, she can manage without talking to him until tomorrow. Instead, Claire sets her phone back on the table and grabs the remote. It's rare for her to watch TV, but she doesn't see any other option. She flicks through the channels, finding nothing that is grabbing her attention. Claire almost turns off the TV, when she catches a glimpse of her face on CNN.

" _We are happy to report that Mrs. Underwood is recovering from her wounds at a local hospital in South Carolina. She was shot in the shoulder yesterday while attending a rally with her husband, Vice President Frank Underwood," the anchorwoman reports._

Claire is astonished by how quickly the media was able to obtain information about her shooting. It's not like Frank or Hannah talked to the press afterwards. There has to be a leak in the administration.

" _CNN has exclusively obtained a video shot at the rally moments before Mrs. Underwood went on stage. You can see here the second couple sharing an intimate moment together prior to the shooting. There are rumors swirling that Mrs. Underwood might have been pregnant at the time she was shot. Take a look."_

"What video?" Claire asks herself. Someone at the rally captured her and Frank talking to each other before she went on stage. In the video, she can only see the back of Frank's head. He was presumably standing in front of her. Claire's eyebrows shoot together as she watches the clip. She doesn't remember any of this. Frank moves so a sliver of Claire is visible. He wraps an arm around her waist, his other hand is resting on her stomach, rubbing it.

Claire shuts the TV off and throws the remote away from her. What she just watched was the last few moments of her pregnancy. Her eyes sting with tears. Her good arm cards through her hair, tugging on it slightly. Audible sobs echo through the empty room. She forces herself to stop crying, in case someone unexpected enters her room.

A loud sniff is emitted, and Claire wipes her eyes. Her face is completely void of any emotion. Her baby is gone, there is nothing she can do to bring it back. Now, Claire Underwood is on a warpath, determined to make the people that did this to her and her family suffer.

"Goodnight Daddy," Hannah tells her father almost immediately after they enter the townhouse. It's late, and the teenager has to be up early for school the next morning. Despite what Claire thinks, Frank believes his daughter doesn't have to go back right away if she doesn't want to. Hannah endured her mother being shot, somehow missing a chemistry lecture doesn't seem all that important. However, Hannah insists she will be fine and doesn't want to spend all day at the townhouse with nothing constructive to do.

"Goodnight. I'll be right across the hall if you need anything." Even if the teenager did, he doubts she would come to him. His daughter is tough and stubborn, like Claire. Whatever is troubling her, he would never know unless she wanted him to. Hannah nods and heads up to her room, quietly shutting the door behind her. She sends a text to her mom, telling her goodnight. Only when Claire responds, does Hannah relax enough to go to sleep.

Frank smokes a cigarette before entering his room. His bed is made, everything is like they left it before leaving for South Carolina. So much has changed since then. If it hadn't, his wife would be sleeping beside him instead of a hospital bed in Gaffney. She wouldn't be recovering from a gunshot wound and she would still be pregnant.

He can't remember the last time he slept through the night without her. The routine they developed over years of being married to each other is ingrained in him. Tomorrow, his nose won't be pressed into her shoulder, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. He can manage until she returns to Washington, he just doesn't _want_ to.

The next day, Frank is patiently waiting outside the Oval Office for an audience with the president. Walker has insisted on a meeting between him, Frank and Raymond Tusk to be fully briefed on the evolving situation in China. The president asked to see Frank privately first to discuss Claire.

Frank is shown in by one of Walker's many assistants. The president is waiting with a malleable smile and a weak handshake.

"Mr. President," Frank says politely as they shake hands.

"Frank, I am so terribly sorry to hear about Claire. How is she doing since we last spoke?" Walker asks. Frank is surprised the president seems sincere in his inquiry. He isn't sure he would be if the roles were reversed.

"Claire is tough. She is irritated that she has to actually relax for once, but she will be okay."

"That's good to hear. Trisha and I were so worried when we heard. Have there been any leads?"

"None so far."

"Well if there's anything I can do to help you and Claire catch the person that did this, you just let me know."

"I will. Thank you, Mr. President."

Walker switches topics quickly, wanting to catch Frank up on what he has missed since leaving for South Carolina. Frank advises as best as he can, but his suggestions are biased because of his hatred for Tusk. Truthfully, Frank doesn't really care what course of action Walker takes as long as he can distance himself enough if there's fallout.

As Frank and Walker are wrapping up their meeting, Tusk barges in. Frank stifles an eye roll; the man has no respect for the president or the office he holds. He would never let someone walk all over him like Walker does.

"Frank, I'm sorry to hear about your wife," Tusk says as if Claire's dead. _That's what you were hoping for, weren't you?_ Frank thinks to himself, but accepts Tusk's apology nonetheless.

"Thank you, Raymond, she is recovering nicely."

"That's good to hear. I'll have my wife send Claire a fruit basket."

"Oh, that's not necessary, but I do appreciate the offer." Frank doesn't want Tusk to know where Claire is just in case he is behind everything that has happened. If he thought for a moment that Tusk was being sincere, he'd actually consider accepting the gift.

"Well, Garrett and I have a lot to discuss," Tusk begins, hoping Frank will get the hint.

"Of course, I'll leave you to it," Frank says and shuts the door behind him. He goes back to his office and grabs Doug.

"What did he say?" Doug asks Frank. A saturated silence falls over the room while Frank closes the door to his office.

"He acted like Claire's already dead. And then he offered to have his wife send a fruit basket." Frank practically spits out the end of his sentence.

"I'll keep an eye on him for the rest of the day, see what he does, where he goes, things like that."

"Thanks Doug."

Frank watches Doug go and places a call to Claire, wanting to keep her apprised of everything happening in Washington. In South Carolina, Claire glances down at her phone resting on her leg. She is discussing her release from the hospital with the doctor who operated on her. Her husband is just going to have to wait.

At two thirty, Frank exits his office. He wants to be home when Hannah gets home from school, even if it's only for a few minutes. It's going to be just the two of them for a few days. It wouldn't be fair to Hannah to leave her at home by herself until Claire gets back.

The second Frank hears the front door slam, he cringes. He has never heard his daughter come home like that before. She comes bounding into the kitchen, either not registering his presence or is ignoring him. Frank's eyes flip over to Meechum, who is trying not to interfere. He drops the mail he was opening and folds his arms over his chest.

"Hi," Frank begins. Hannah still hasn't turned around to face him. She digs through the fridge, pretending to intently look for something. "Hannah, look at me." His tone is stricter than he would have liked, but the teenager does what she is told.

Her eyes are red-rimmed and puffy. She recently cried. Frank's guess would be on the way home from school.

"What are you even doing here?" Hannah asks. The one day Hannah doesn't want to see her father and he is waiting for her when she gets home from school.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay, which clearly, you aren't. So, what's going on?" Hannah's cerulean eyes fill with rage. Frank has seen that expression in Claire's eyes many times. It's the kind of anger that makes you feel powerless and fearless simultaneously.

"I hope what you and Mom are doing is worth it. I really do," Hannah snaps and starts to head out of the kitchen.

Frank is utterly taken aback by Hannah's statement. She isn't behaving like herself. His daughter is not the bratty teenager she is portraying right now. Hannah knows better than to act this way. Something must have happened at school for her to lash out at him like this.

"Hannah Claire, come back here. Let's talk." He is desperately trying not to get angry. Frank wants to understand what is going on in his daughter's head.

Hannah freezes at the sound of her first and middle name being used by her father. She only hears her middle name in conjunction with her first when she royally screws up. Usually her father is already yelling by this point, but he is calm, which scares her even more.

Reluctantly, Hannah retreats back into the kitchen, standing on the opposite side of Frank. She bites into an apple and waits in silence for her father to start shouting at her for acting like the petulant child he knows she isn't.

"What do you mean by 'I hope what you and Mom are doing is worth it?'" Frank asks, making sure he keeps the volume of his voice in check.

"Is this all worth it to you and Mom? It's a simple question."

"Is what all worth it?"

"This, Dad! Me getting into an accident, Mom getting shot, your child dying! For what? Tell me! Is a fucking desk in the Oval Office worth our lives to you?" By the end of her rant, Hannah is shouting at Frank. Like her mother, the teenager never yells unless she is deeply upset and on the verge of tears.

"Your mother and I are doing everything we can to secure your future! Don't you dare question what we are doing for you ever again!" Frank yells back and slams his fist down on the counter.

Hannah stares at him, unwilling to waver on her position. She can't sit by and watch her parents destroy their lives anymore. There is no point in occupying the Oval Office if her family isn't together. She doesn't see why her parents don't understand that.

Frank has to try a new approach otherwise he is going to lose his daughter all together. This fight they are having isn't the main cause of why Hannah's so upset. Sure, it's part of it, but something had to have happened for it to brim to the surface. Yelling at her isn't going to be effective, not if he wants her to admit what's truly wrong.

"I'm sorry, Hannah. I'm under a lot of pressure right now…"

"You don't have to explain. I shouldn't be acting ungrateful. You and Mom have sacrificed a lot to get us here. I know that."

"What happened at school today, sweetheart?"

Hannah takes in a shuddering breath before speaking. Frank rounds the counter so he is standing next to his daughter.

"A lot of kids, people who I thought were my friends, told me they wished Mom died at that rally on Wednesday. A teacher…Daddy, _a teacher_ said in front of my class that she was hoping the bullet would've hit you too." Hannah wipes her eyes and sniffs.

Frank brings his daughter in for a hug. He can see why she was so upset when she came home. No teenager should have to hear that from their peers, especially one of their teachers. Watching your mother get shot on national television is more than enough.

"I will handle your teacher, but Hannah, you can't care about what people think." He is trying his best to channel his wife in this situation. Claire would know what to say to Hannah if she was here. She always does.

"I know, Daddy. It's just hard to sit there and listen to your classmates wish your parents were dead."

"If your mother and I let what people said about us get under our skin, we wouldn't leave the house. Instead, we channel that anger into doing what we do best."

"Plotting and manipulating?" Hannah asks with her eyes twinkling. Frank chuckles,

"Yes. I have to go back to the White House. Do you want to come with?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing our future home."

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Hannah sets a trap while Frank works to keep a lid on Claire's miscarriage. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello, welcome back! Thank you for all the reviews you left me. I will continue to update this and** _ **The Fallout**_ **as long as I know you guys still want to read them. Enjoy the latest chapter!**

 **Chapter Ten.**

"Daddy, have you heard from Mom at all?" Hannah asks. She and Frank are in his office. Her doing homework on the couch, him skimming a potential new piece of legislation in his desk. His eyes flicker up to meet his, cognac on cerulean.

"No. I called her earlier, but she was with the doctor and couldn't talk. I am going to call her tonight when we get back to the townhouse." Frank informs her and returns to reading, thinking that his daughter would do the same. Hannah gnaws on her pencil, internally debating whether she wants to bring up something to her father. It's a highly sensitive subject, and Hannah doesn't do well with emotions.

"Daddy…" Hannah begins and stands up, choosing to sit down directly across from Frank instead. Frank tosses aside his paperwork. Clearly, Hannah wants to have a conversation with him, and he won't deny her.

"Yes, Hannah?" Hannah averts his eyes, mentally assembling her sentence word-for-word before speaking.

"Do you think Mom will be okay after…you know…the miscarriage?" Frank laces his fingers together. His daughter is concerned about Claire, as is he.

"Your mother is the strongest person I know. She will get through this, Hannah…we all will." He can tell Hannah wants to ask him something else, she isn't sure how to say it.

"Do you think…you two will…try again?" The last thing the teenager wants to think about is her parents having sex, but she is curious about whether she should expect a sibling. Hannah was just getting used to the idea of another Underwood coming, when her mother's shooting happened.

Frank is astonished by Hannah's question. He hasn't even thought about whether they should attempt to have another child. The shooting and miscarriage are too fresh in his mind, Claire's too. It's going to take a while for them to broach the subject again.

"I don't know…I think your mother is going to be the one to have to make that decision."

Hannah's eyebrows furrow, "Why? You guys always make decisions together, right?

"Why are you asking so many questions?" Frank asks, careful not to sound upset. He never sees this side of Hannah. His daughter is usually so guarded, only sharing her inner-most thoughts when pushed. And usually to just Claire.

"I don't know," Hannah says with a shrug. "You and I never get to talk, just the two of us. We are the only two people who can relate to what happened."

A grin pulls at the corner of Frank's lips. Hannah is right. They are the only ones who are feeling the same way about Claire's shooting. It wouldn't do them any good if they decided to shut each other out. He is going to be forthright with his daughter because she deserves the truth.

"Well…to be honest Hannah, I never wanted or liked children. It was your mother who convinced me we should have a child."

Hannah is taken aback by Frank's admission. He has always been a great father to her, though it makes sense as to why she never had any siblings up until now. She remembers begging her mom and dad for a brother or sister when she was younger, but it never happened. Her parents just told her she was all they ever needed. Somewhere in the past few months, that must have changed for them.

"Why? And why all of the sudden was Mom pregnant?"

None of this is making sense to the teenager. Her parents never do anything by accident, they plan everything out. One kid is a mistake, two is a choice.

"Your mother decided she wanted another child about six months ago and I wanted to do that for her since she has sacrificed so much to get us to where we are today." Frank owes his political career to Claire, he must never forget that. "Anyway, I always knew I would have a great career in politics, but once you get to the level where we are, people want to use the people that you love against you." _Which is what's happening right now,_ Hannah thinks to herself.

Hannah flips back to the fight she had with her father earlier in the kitchen. When she asked him if what he was doing was all worth it to him, she didn't realize then he was asking himself the same thing. She knows her father doesn't planning on stopping at the vice presidency, he wants to be president. She just doesn't know if he's willing to do it if her and Claire aren't by his side.

Frank mistakes Hannah's silence for hurt feelings. He is so used to being brutally honest with Claire, he doesn't know if his daughter expects the same treatment.

"Hannah, I don't want you to think I didn't want you or you were a mistake."

"I don't. And you're right, being where we are, it's kind of scary."

"Just wait until we are in the Oval," Frank says with a wink. Just then, Doug interrupts the pair, informing Frank he has a meeting. "I want you to stay here, no wandering. Meechum isn't here." Frank isn't taking any chances, if Secret Service is involved, they could easily grab Hannah in the White House while he is out of the room.

"I have homework to finish." Frank knocks on the desk twice and follows Doug out of his office.

Hannah waits until she is sure the door is closed before sitting in her father's chair. She spins around to face the wall, looking at the various pictures Frank has transferred from office-to-office. A couple are pictures of her father with assorted staff over the years. Another is an image of her mother and father waving to an adoring crowd with their arms around each other taken way before she was born. Hannah has seen the same framed picture in her mother's office. Her favorite, is a picture of her and Claire taken when she was about two. Cake is smeared on her hand and her mother's cheek. Claire is pointing and smiling at the camera, trying to coax a camera-shy Hannah to smile at her father behind the lens. Hannah smiles to herself and sets the frame in its correct spot.

An hour later, Hannah is finished with her homework and is scrolling through her phone when someone knocks on her dad's office door. She assumes it's Doug, coming to check to make sure she is still where she said she would be.

"Come in," Hannah says and spins around in her dad's chair. What she doesn't expect is an older, bald man entering. "Who are you?"

"Raymond Tusk. And you must be Hannah. Thankfully, you look more like your mother than you do your father." Hannah keeps her best poker face on. She has heard about Tusk's under-the-table dealings from her father.

"The _vice president_ is still in a meeting. I don't know when he will be back," Hannah uses her dad's official title to show Tusk she isn't scared of him.

"Of course. I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Hannah. How is she doing?" The teenager isn't sure about how much she should disclose. She doesn't trust Tusk, but revealing information about Claire could prove he is behind the accident and shooting.

"Thank you. She is recovering at a hospital in Gaffney, where my parents were." Tusk seems interested in this information. _I got you, you son of a bitch,_ Hannah thinks to herself.

"That's good to hear. When do you think she will be released?"

"I'm not sure, hopefully within the next few days or so."

"I hope you send her my best."

"I will, thank you, Mr. Tusk." Hannah gives him her official Vote Underwood smile she's been crafting since she was old enough to be out on the campaign trail with her parents.

Tusk turns around just as Frank is opening his office door. Frank glances over at Hannah and then back at Tusk.

"Raymond, I see you met my daughter." Hannah smirks at the underlying annoyance in her father's voice.

"Indeed, I have. She is a lovely girl, takes after her mother for sure." Frank ignores the dig on his behalf.

"Well, luckily, she is going to turn out more like Claire than me."

"Hannah was just updating me on your wife. It seems like she will be released from the hospital soon, which is great news."

Frank wonders why Hannah shared that information with Tusk, but he trusts his daughter knows what she is doing.

"She is. Was there anything you needed Raymond or…?" Frank doesn't want to waste his time talking to Tusk. He would rather go home and see if he can get Claire on the phone.

"Oh, I was wondering if Garrett spoke to you about what we were going to do about Xander Feng."

"Not yet. I am sure he will loop us in when he has made a concrete decision."

"Okay, Frank, goodnight. It was nice meeting you, Hannah."

"You too, Mr. Tusk."

Tusk shows himself out and Frank practically slams the door behind him. Hannah can't help but laugh, she wants to see her parents destroy him when they get the chance.

"Let's go home," Frank tells her. Hannah nods and gathers up her belongings, trailing behind her dad to an awaiting vehicle.

They quickly eat dinner together before calling Claire, putting her on speaker so both of them can talk to her.

"Hey," Claire says when she picks up the phone.

"Miss us yet?" Frank asks with a grin. He can envision his wife rolling her eyes from her hospital room in South Carolina.

"I barely even noticed you two were gone. What's going on there?"

"Not much, I went to work with Daddy for a little bit today after school," Hannah informs her mother. She purposely leaves out the part where she came home and fought with her father. The teenager is confident her father will want to discuss it with her mother privately.

"That sounds fun, I hope your father didn't bore you to death," Claire says to her daughter, fully expecting to hear protests from her husband.

"She was fine. What did the doctor say?" Frank asks.

"They said they will release me the day after tomorrow. I have to start physical therapy for my shoulder while I'm here," Claire tells him.

Both husband and wife are aware the other is merely holding conversation for Hannah's sake. They want to _really_ talk to one another when the teenager is out of the room. And they will, but they will give Hannah time to converse with Claire.

Hannah talks to her mother about school, failing to mention the nasty comments she received from her peers about her mother. Claire listens intently, genuinely interested in her daughter's day at school. Midway through their conversation, Hannah's phone dings.

"Sorry Mom, Lauren needs help with the homework we got today, I got to go."

"Okay, I love you. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Mom, love you." Hannah grabs her phone and heads to her room, shutting the door behind her.

Frank takes the phone off speaker and holds it to his ear. He grabs a cigarette and lights it before sitting on the windowsill.

"Francis, are you smoking without me?" Claire asks when she hears the click of the lighter.

"Yes. Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Claire would rather not discuss the video. She is still coming to terms with it being released, and everything associated with her miscarriage. Pretending like it never happened isn't a working strategy. Claire deals with things by suppressing them, suffocating them until it's no longer at the forefront of her mind. It was working until she saw the CNN segment on her, and now, she isn't so sure. Frank promised her he would take care of it, but he didn't. She isn't angry with him, she just wants to know this can be contained.

"The video Doug was talking about. They played it on CNN. People _know,_ Francis." Claire doesn't have to explain to him what that could mean for them. Press conferences. Interviews. The public will demand to know what happened to her. And Claire might have to tell them.

Frank feels like he failed her. He did, in a way. He wasn't able to keep their private affairs out of the spotlight. He's disappointed in his chief of staff. Doug doesn't usually screw up like this.

"I gave it to Doug to handle."

"Why didn't he?"

"I don't know. I will talk to him tomorrow. We might have a leak, Claire."

"I agree. What's our next move?"

Even from a hospital bed, Claire still manages to join in on her husband's schemes. He almost passes the cigarette, imaging she is there with him.

"We should let the story die down. If you want to make a statement when you get back home, it would work in our favor."

"Okay. What's on your mind, Francis?" Claire knows her husband better than she knows herself at times. She can sense when he is upset about something.

"Hannah had a hard day at school today. Her and I…had a disagreement when she got home." Claire swallows her sigh. She hates when Frank loses his temper with their daughter. It doesn't happen often, but her husband is too hard on the teenager sometimes. He forgets that their daughter will make mistakes and instead of yelling at her, they need to help her work through them. Her husband doesn't possess the same amount of patience as Claire, which is why she handles most of the discipline.

"What do you mean she had a hard day? What happened?"

"They were awful to her, Claire. Some teacher told her that she wanted me to get shot too." The last thing he wants to do is make Claire feel guilty for what Hannah's classmates were saying to her. None of this is her fault.

"We have to get that teacher fired."

"Don't worry, I'm going to handle it tomorrow."

"Why did you two argue?"

"She had doubts about what we are doing because of everything that's happened. She asked me if what we were doing is all worth it."

It's natural for Hannah to be shaken by her accident, Claire's shooting. Hell, Claire and Frank are whether they want to admit it or not. As a family, the Underwoods' have gone through enough these past few months to warrant uncertainty.

"I will talk to her when I get home."

"Thank you. Get some sleep. I love you."

"I love you too. Goodnight, Francis."

"Goodnight."

The next day, Frank strides into Hannah's school, flanked by two Secret Service Agents. Hannah is walking behind him, trying to conceal her smirk at her classmates gawking at her dad. She forgets how much power she can wield at this school. Her dad is the vice president of the United States, he works side-by-side with the president. Half the people at her school would kill to have their parents in that position.

Frank and Claire do their best to stay out of what happens at Hannah's school. They pay her tuition and handle security, that's it. They want their daughter to learn how to get what she wants without having to rely on her parents' positions to get it. If Hannah asks them to help with something, or they feel the need to step in, they will.

"Excuse me, I would like to speak to the principal," Frank says to the secretary. The secretary's eyes widen as she looks from Frank to Hannah. She nods and points to the principal's office. "Thank you."

Meechum and Hannah exchange grins as they watch Frank bypass the secretary and enter the principal's office without so much as a knock.

"Vice President Underwood, I don't think we have met before. I'm Principal Rowe, it's nice to meet you. Your daughter, Hannah, is one of our finest students. What can we do for you?" Frank shakes hands with the principal and looks over his shoulder at his daughter. Hannah shrugs and sits down next to her father.

"Hannah came home from school yesterday very upset. Apparently, a teacher at this school made my daughter feel unsafe. Now, you can imagine my wife and I's concern, given how much money we pay to have our daughter go here."

"Of course, Mr. Vice President, I understand completely. Hannah, what happened?"

Hannah averts the principal's gaze, choosing to look down at her lap. She wants to give the impression she is still distraught by what happened yesterday.

"Ms. Newbury told my class she wished my dad got shot along with my mom." The principal is equally as scared as he is shocked by the teenager's admission.

"I sincerely apologize Mr. Vice President and to you, Hannah. Ms. Newbury will be immediately dismissed from this school. That is absolutely unacceptable behavior."

"This isn't the first time this teacher has said things to my daughter concerning the Walker administration. Hannah is only thirteen. She doesn't have any say in what happens at the White House. I would appreciate if teachers' here respect that."

The principal is continuously nodding. He needs Hannah to stay enrolled at this school or he will face a public relations disaster.

"I couldn't agree more, Mr. Vice President. Hannah, I promise you that nothing like this will happen again. If it does, please come to me directly so we can handle it."

Frank glances at his daughter, "are you satisfied?"

Hannah nods, "I don't think we need to take this any further. As long as Ms. Newbury is gone by the end of the day."

"She will be," Principal Rowe pipes up.

"Good. Principal," Frank stands up, along with Hannah, to shake his hand.

"Sir, I'm sorry you had to take time out of your busy schedule to deal with this. It will be taken care of."

"Thank you," Frank exits the office, with Hannah on his tail.

"That was easy. Could you imagine if Mom went in there instead of you?" Hannah asks, faking a chill. Frank smiles,

"Your mother would have him hanging upside down by his ankles in front of the whole school. We would never have to pay a dime to this place ever again." Hannah laughs, her dad is not wrong. Her mother is even scarier than her father when she gets angry.

"I have to go to class. I'll see you at home, later?"

"Yeah, I have some things to take care of. I'll bring dinner home." Frank pinches Hannah's cheek and the two go their separate ways.

"Doug!" Frank yells the moment he steps into his office. He hasn't forgotten about the video his chief of staff allowed to be released to the public.

"What is it, Sir?" Doug asks and shuts the door behind him. He can tell Frank is furious by the way he's biting his lip.

"Claire told me the video _I told you to take care of_ was released on CNN last night. How the hell did you let that happen?" His voice drops dangerously low by the end of his sentence. Frank promised Claire he would take care of this. Doug made him look like a liar, and that is unacceptable.

"I told Connor to handle it. I should have checked to make sure he did his job." Connor is the new communications director Claire hired before they left for South Carolina. It was her idea to bring him into the fold, strictly for a trial run.

"Do I need to worry about you Doug?" Frank asks. His chief of staff knows better than to pass off important assignments to other people who can't be trusted.

"No, Sir. Absolutely not. I will personally handle Connor."

"Doug, Claire will not be speaking about what happened to her."

"Of course, Sir. I'll take care of it right away."

Doug leaves without being dismissed by Frank. Frank is starting to doubt Doug's ability to do his job effectively. Claire's right, there's a leak in the Walker administration and it might be Doug.

"Edward, you don't have to push me in the wheelchair. I'm fine," Claire insists. She just completed her first round of physical therapy at the hospital and Meechum is wheeling her back to her room.

Claire spots a man she doesn't recognize dressed in scrubs in her room. She holds up her hand, signaling Meechum to stop pushing her.

"Edward, who is that?" Claire whispers to Meechum. She is pretty familiar with the nurses and orderlies assigned to her room by now. This person is foreign to her, which makes her uneasy.

Meechum tells her to stay where she is and enters the room, hand on his gun.

"Who are you? Why are you in this room?" Meechum asks. The man holds up his hands when he sees Meechum.

"Hey man, I'm just an orderly. I was assigned to change sheets in this room while the patient was out." Meechum is skeptical, but drops his hand from his gun. Something about this man isn't sitting right with the agent.

"I want you to leave. Now. I will assign someone else to service this room."

"Fine. Sorry, man." The orderly leaves the room, holding eye contact with Claire the whole time. Claire matches his stare, refusing to look away. Meechum wheels her back into the room and stands by as Claire transfers herself to the bed.

"Edward, find out who that is. Would you?"

"Yes ma'am."

Meechum returns to his post outside Claire's room. Claire contemplates calling Frank to tell him about what just happened, but she stops herself. She is overreacting because she is bored. There could be a benign explanation as to why the orderly was in her room that she is overlooking. If Meechum finds something suspicious, then she will alert her husband.

While Claire is sleeping, Meechum goes to the nurses' station on the floor.

"Excuse me, I just wanted to double check something regarding Mrs. Underwood's room," Meechum says to a brunette nurse behind the desk.

"Sure, what can I help you with?"

"There was an orderly cleaning her room this afternoon and neither Mrs. Underwood or I recognized him. I thought that was kind of odd."

The nurse furrows her eyebrows and types something into her computer.

"According to our log, Mrs. Underwood's room was already serviced this morning. Nobody should've been in there, Sir."

Meechum's eyes widen, he had a sinking feeling the nurse would be telling him this.

"Are you absolutely positive?"

"Yes. Whoever the person was that you saw, should not have been in Mrs. Underwood's room."

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Meechum tries to get Claire home safely and Frank pushes her to talk about the miscarriage. Please leave reviews, I worry that nobody is reading this anymore. Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: As a thank you for all of the kind reviews you guys have left me, I'm giving you an extra-long chapter. I hope you like it, it's another one of my favorites.**

 **Chapter Eleven.**

"Okay. I want you to page Mrs. Underwood's doctor right away. She needs to be discharged, but _do not_ tell anyone about this."

Meechum leaves the nurses station and enters Claire's room, gently shaking her awake.

"Sorry Ma'am to wake you, but we need to leave." Claire rubs her eyes as she tries to comprehend what Meechum is saying.

"Edward, what's happening?"

"The orderly…or whoever he was…shouldn't have been in here. We need to move you back to D.C. for your protection. The doctor is coming up to discharge you right now."

Claire nods and reaches for her phone, but Meechum stops her.

"You can call him when we get to the plane. The fewer people know about this, the better. You should get dressed. Your husband left your bag here when he left."

She puts down her phone and looks over at Meechum holding her suitcase. Her cheeks flush when she realizes she requires Meechum's assistance to get dressed.

"Sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Underwood, I hear you are itching to get out of here," Dr. Carter, the surgeon who operated on Claire, says.

"Yes, I need to get back to D.C. quicker than I thought," Claire responds. Meechum leaves while the doctor does an examination of Claire and goes over her discharge instructions. Dr. Carter exits and Meechum comes back in.

"I won't look ma'am," Meechum promises her.

"I know you won't, Edward," Claire assures him. Together, they get Claire dressed in a white dress shirt with a navy skirt. They sneak her out the back exit of the hospital, away from the press who, luckily, aren't informed about the second lady's quick departure.

When Claire is safely in the air, she checks with Meechum to be sure she can call her husband.

"We should be okay now ma'am, if you want to call the vice president."

Claire dials Frank, wondering how she is going to explain this to him.

"Hey," Frank says when he answers the phone. He leans back in his office chair, shooing away the person coming into his office.

"Hey."

"What's that noise? I can barely hear you."

"Oh…I'm on a plane." Frank tilts his head in confusion, he thought his wife told him she wasn't being discharged until tomorrow morning.

"Why are you on a plane?" Hearing nothing, Frank jerks forward in his chair. "Claire, why are you on a plane?"

"When I got back from physical therapy this afternoon there was someone in my room that shouldn't've been there. Edward thought it was best that I come back to Washington."

Frank takes a minute to absorb what Claire is relaying to him before his mouth flies open.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"Last night, Tusk came by my office looking for me, but I wasn't there. Hannah was, and she told him that you were still in the hospital to trap him."

Claire follows what Frank is telling her, but she doesn't see this as confirmation like her husband does. Her shooting made national news, someone else could've easily infiltrated her hospital room without it being Tusk. Frank wants it to be Tusk because then he can be removed from the White House.

"Francis, do not go after him. We need to think this through."

"I will see you when you get home." Frank tells her and hangs up the phone. Claire lets her phone fall into her lap and shakes her head. She hopes her husband isn't going to act impulsively about this, he could easily expose them.

Frank leans his hand on his chin. He didn't understand what Hannah was doing until now. It has to be Tusk behind all this, it's the only thing that makes sense. Claire is right though, he can't just confront him based off this information alone. They need more.

A few hours later, the plane touches down in Washington. Meechum has a car waiting to take him and Claire wherever she wants.

"Ma'am, where would you like to go?" Meechum asks Claire. Claire checks the time on her phone. It's after three, meaning Hannah will be home from school. She doesn't want to disturb Frank at work.

"Back to the townhouse, please."

Hannah is doing her homework at the table when she sees Meechum come through the door holding luggage. Her eyebrows raise, she doesn't know why the agent is here when he should be guarding her mother in South Carolina.

"Meechum? What are you doing here?" Hannah asks.

"You'll find out," Meechum winks at her and takes the luggage upstairs. Claire walks in behind him, holding her purse in her good hand.

"Mom!" Hannah throws down her pencil and rushes over to hug her mother.

"Hey honey," Claire mumbles and wraps her arm around her daughter's back.

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow. Does Dad know you're here?"

Claire laughs at her daughter's enthusiasm. Hannah isn't typically this talkative.

"Yes, your father knows I'm home. I asked to be discharged early and they agreed." Claire isn't going to admit the real reason she came home a day sooner. She doesn't want to unnecessarily scare the teenager.

"Okay, well I'm happy to see you. You missed Dad going into school today and getting my teacher fired."

Hannah had to hide her smirk when she watched Ms. Newbury collect her things. Nobody at her school knew it was Frank and Hannah that got her fired. Hannah would prefer to keep it that way. She doesn't need her classmates hating her more than they already do.

"I heard," Claire brings Hannah over to the dining room table where her daughter has her notebook and textbooks spread out. "Your dad also told me about the argument you two had while I was gone."

A frown breaks out on the teenager's face. She knew this conversation was coming, but not as soon as her mom came in the door.

"Is there anything you and Dad don't talk about with each other?" Claire shakes her head. Her daughter should know by now Frank and Claire tell each other everything.

"No. We don't keep secrets from one another. I know your dad can lose his temper sometimes, but he comes from a good place. He loves you, Hannah and he wants you to be safe."

"It wasn't him…this time. It was me. I came in acting like a brat and he called me out on it."

Claire nods, Frank didn't tell her any of this. He made it sound like it was his fault, not Hannah's.

"Your dad told me that a teacher said she wished your dad got shot too. What else happened?"

"There's more to it than that. A lot of my so-called friends…never mind. It doesn't matter." Hannah doesn't want her mother to feel guilty about something that isn't her fault.

Claire reaches across to tuck a piece of hair behind Hannah's ear. Her daughter shouldn't hold anything back from her. That's not the kind of relationship she wants to have with Hannah.

"Hannah, you can tell me and your dad anything."

"Kids in my class were telling me they wished you died."

Claire is undeterred by Hannah's confession. It's no secret her and Frank aren't well-liked. They don't particularly care as long as it doesn't affect their daughter.

"A lot of people don't like me and your father, but you shouldn't let that bother you."

"It does, Mom. It was hard to listen to people who I thought were my friends tell me that they wished you were dead."

"I know. And I don't like that it happened, but Hannah, you are going to hear a lot of things about me and your dad that aren't pleasant, especially _when_ your father becomes president. What matters is what you know and what you believe."

Hannah smirks at her mother's mention of her father becoming president. As much as it pains her to admit, Claire is right. If Hannah crumbles every time she hears someone say something bad about her parents, she won't survive her father's presidency.

"And Hannah, anytime you see an opportunity for retaliation, you should take it," Claire advises, with her eyes sparkling. A grin splashes across the teenager's face, thinking of all the things she could do the kids at school who were mean to her. And the best part is, her parents would condone, encourage even, her actions.

Claire notices the spark she ignited in Hannah's brain. She trusts whatever her daughter is planning, she won't get caught.

"I'm going to unpack; your father should be home soon. Finish your homework before you start scheming," Claire instructs Hannah. She brushes a kiss to her daughter's head and heads into the master bedroom. Her luggage is already waiting for her on the bed.

Claire ends up falling asleep halfway through unpacking, the pain medication coursing through her makes her susceptible to naps. Frank comes into the townhouse a few hours later, carrying takeout.

"Hey Dad, you don't care that I cause a little chaos at school tomorrow, do you?" Hannah asks, her face radiating innocence. Frank sets the bag of food on the table and glances at his daughter. He can tell she is serious because Claire makes an identical expression when she has an idea.

"I don't care. Just make sure the police and press don't get involved and it doesn't trace back to you." He stops for a second, "your mother got to you, didn't she?"

"She merely told me that if I see an opening, I should take it." Frank shrugs, he doesn't see a problem with that.

"Where is your mom?"

"Upstairs. She said she was unpacking, but I think she fell asleep."

"How is she?" Frank asks Hannah since his daughter was the first to see his wife since she's been back.

"She seems fine…but it's hard to tell with her." Claire puts on a brave face, but Frank can eventually wear her down until she admits how she is truly feeling. His wife wouldn't reveal anything to Hannah.

"Okay, I'm going to get her. Feel free to start eating." Frank informs Hannah and climbs the stairs. He quietly opens and closes the door to their bedroom, seeing Claire sleeping under the covers. Frank flips off his shoes and climbs into bed with her, slipping his hand under the bend in her arm. Claire stirs and grabs his hand, enclosing it in her own.

When you have been married as long as Frank and Claire have, you notice the subtlest changes in your spouse.

It began with dinner after they came downstairs. Claire barely contributed to the conversation, nor did she touch her food. For a second, Hannah thought her parents fought while they were upstairs, but if that were the case, one of them would be absent at the dinner table. When dinner was over, Claire excused herself to go back to bed, not even sticking around for a nightly cigarette.

Frank decided that it wasn't the appropriate time to bring up the press conference they need to have. The press hasn't caught on yet that Claire isn't still in South Carolina, so they have some time. Of course, Frank will stall until Claire is comfortable to speak.

The next morning, Frank wakes up alone in bed. He rolls over, thinking she is in the bathroom. Frank doesn't see a light on the bathroom, meaning Claire must've snuck downstairs while he was still sleeping. He gets dressed and heads downstairs. Hannah already left for school with Meechum. Frank finds Claire standing in his study, the room they were going to start converting to a nursery when they got back from South Carolina. He comes up behind her, shoving his hands in pockets.

"You should go to work," Claire mutters, her voice barely above a whisper. She turns to face him. He is astonished by the ache visible in her cerulean eyes.

"I can stay." Claire nods and pivots on her heels, starting to walk out of the room. Frank stops her, his hand coiling around her wrist, gently bringing her back. He splashes his hands on her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. "When have we ever avoided each other?"

Claire's bottom lip quivers just the slightest bit and he brings her in for a hug, rubbing her back soothingly. She knows he's right, she shouldn't be keeping this from him. It's his loss too, not just hers. After a few moments, Claire pulls away, wiping the corner of her eye.

"Sweetheart, we can try again whenever you want to," Frank promises and sets his hand on her shoulder. She shakes her head.

"I…don't think we should." A deep furrow of Frank's eyebrows prompts Claire to elaborate. "I'm not making this decision out of fear. I just…a part of me feels relieved. We aren't capable of having a second child, not with where we want to go. I would rather have us in the White House."

"It doesn't have to be a choice."

"Yes, it does. We have to move forward. Someone is still out there trying to hurt us, we have to focus on that for now."

It's apparent to him Claire has made her mind up about this. He has never known her to act irrationally. If this is what she wants, he can live with it. And if he's being completely honest with himself, he is happy Claire made the decision not to try again for a second child. For as much as he tells her they don't have to choose between their career and family, they do. Frank can't be an effective father and president. And he wouldn't ask Claire to shoulder the responsibility of caring for a newborn and teenager alone.

It's just surprising to him that she had a sudden change of heart about having a second baby. She seemed so set on it six months ago, before all this happened to them. Maybe when they find the people who did this and Frank is occupying the Oval Office, they can revisit the idea if she still wants to.

"Okay, if that's what you want," Frank tells her, setting his hands on her shoulders. Claire slowly tilts her head up so her eyes are meeting his. His dark eyes flicker with an expression present since she woke up from her surgery. A carefully concealed look of pity, one she would have to search for if she hasn't been married to him for so long. Her mouth curls into a frown. She isn't fragile, the wrong words or actions won't shatter her.

"Don't coddle me, Francis." Her demand comes out as an agonized warning. Yes, they suffered a loss, but it is a necessary one. Another baby complicates their current plans, Claire was a fool to think otherwise. They will move past this and be stronger, together, but she can't have him looking at her the way he is now. It will only push her to internalize her feelings even more than she already does.

"You know that is something I would never do," he tells her sincerely. He respects her too much to patronize her. They still have the same mutual understanding they had when he proposed to her nearly three decades ago. He won't put her on a pedestal, and she won't rely on him to provide her happiness. They are equals in their partnership, that's the only way it will work.

"Good." Frank reaches up to pinch her cheek. He turns to leave, but Claire clasps his hand. "I have an idea." Her azure eyes are sparkling, similar to Hannah's yesterday when their daughter was scheming.

Frank follows her to the windowsill and lights a cigarette, eager to hear her plan.

News of Ms. Newbury's firing spread like wildfire through Hannah's school. It wasn't long before students started connecting the dots between the vice president's unexpected visit and the teacher packing her things. Hannah came into school fully prepared for ridicule, but the opposite happened. Now, she is using her newly elevated social status to her advantage, putting aside her plans for retribution for the time being.

"Hannah, literally everyone is talking about you," Lauren, Hannah's best friend, says as they are walking to class.

"Why?" Hannah isn't charismatic like her father. She doesn't command attention, nor does she relish in it. The teenager prefers quietly observing and only adding input when necessary, similar to her mother.

"Because of what your father did, silly. The man scares the shit out of me, but he did a good thing for this school."

"And that's the overwhelming consensus?"

"Don't worry…uh oh…Amanda, at your two o' clock." Hannah and Lauren are approached by Amanda Cormier, the most popular girl in school. Hannah and Amanda have worked together in the past, both using their fathers' positions to achieve their goals. Otherwise, they stay out of each other's way.

"Underwood, we need to talk," Amanda orders. Hannah bids goodbye to Lauren and follows Amanda into an empty hallway, Meechum hovering close by.

"Look, it wasn't my decision to fire her, it was my dad's." Hannah isn't scared of Amanda, but she would rather stay on her good side. She's seen Amanda and her minions unleash terror on an unsuspecting victim before and would like to avoid becoming another one if possible.

"Trust me, you and the Vice President did this school a favor. Which is why I need a favor from you."

Hannah is prepared to broker a deal with Amanda, having learned how to negotiate from years of watching her father.

"I'm not sure that's how that works, but I'm intrigued. Whatever it is, the press can't be involved, for obvious reasons."

"Neither of us wants that. You have the principal's ear now, thanks to your father, and I need to use that to _our_ advantage."

"How?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm glad to know I have your full support. I'll see you around, Underwood."

"Wait. If I do something for you, you have to do something for me." Amanda quirks an eyebrow. Clearly, she doesn't comprehend the concept of a favor.

"What?"

"I want you to endorse me for student council elections this year, when I run. If you do that, I will tell my father to tell the principal to do whatever you please."

Hannah holds her hand out for Amanda to shake. The two teenagers shake hands, forming an unstable alliance. They part ways, and Meechum shakes his head when Hannah steps in sync with her security guard.

"What?" Hannah snaps at Meechum. Usually, the agent is silent most of the day, never offering his opinion about anything the teenager does.

"Nothing. It's just you reminded me so much of your parents just now." Hannah smirks, she can invoke the best attributes her parents passed down to her when necessary.

"Good."

"You have absolutely no intentions of keeping your part of the bargain with that girl. Do you?"

"Of course not, Meechum." Hannah will string Amanda along until she gets her endorsement. Then, she will tell Amanda her father said he won't risk intervening at the school again, for fear of the press catching on.

A puff of smoke filters out of Frank's mouth as he listens intently to Claire's plan. It's dubious, but risky. This could easily backfire on them if they don't play this carefully.

"You need to go to work. People are going to start asking questions," Claire instructs when she finishes her thoughts. Frank nods and puts out the cigarette, knocking twice on the windowsill.

"Are you okay with doing the press conference tomorrow?" Frank asks her. Claire nods and watches him go.

A few hours later, Frank is able to get President Walker and Raymond Tusk in the same room, faking a meeting about China. It doesn't take long for Tusk and Frank to be disagreeing about the president's course of action.

"No, you can't reason with these people, Raymond. We have…" Frank's rebuttal is interrupted by his cell phone. He suppresses his smile, it's time to put their plan into action. "I'm sorry, it's Claire. I have to take this." Frank steps aside, but still within hearing range of Walker and Tusk.

Claire hears Frank pick up the phone and she sets it down on the counter, letting him say what they rehearsed.

"Claire…C-slow…slow down, sweetheart. What is going on? I can't…Claire…I can't understand…okay…" Frank says, loud enough to capture Walker and Tusk's attention. "Listen…I will get you out of there…okay…bye."

"Frank? Is everything okay?" Walker asks. _This is just too easy,_ Frank thinks to himself.

"No. Claire was attacked in her hospital room in Gaffney," Frank lies. Predictably, Walker looks genuinely surprised while Raymond fakes it.

"Oh my God. Is she alright?" Walker asks. Tusk still hasn't contributed to the conversation, just like Frank and Claire thought.

"Yes, she's just a little shaken up. She said someone must have found out where she was staying and came into her room while she was sleeping. Thankfully, Meechum was there to protect her. If you'll excuse me, I need to make some arrangements for her travel."

"Of course. Raymond and I will continue this in my office. We will update you when you sort everything out." Walker and Tusk vacate Frank's office. Frank waits until the door closes to call Doug.

"They bought it."

"Good. I will see where this goes, Sir."

When Frank and Hannah get home later that night, Claire is setting the table for dinner. Confusion ripples across both of their faces. They haven't seen Claire cook in a long time. Not unless it's a special occasion.

"Aren't you supposed to be relaxing?" Frank asks. He figures Claire got restless and decided to prepare a four-course meal. Hannah takes the plates from her mother and finishes setting the table. She is remaining silent in case this erupts into a full-fledged argument between her parents.

"Yes. You can bring the food to the table," Claire states and sits down. She doesn't have to explain to her husband the reason behind her sudden foray into domesticity. When she's anxious and housebound, she cooks.

Frank does as requested and sits across from his wife, eyeing her carefully. She seems to be in better spirits than this morning, but something is still bothering her. He won't get her to admit what it is until she is ready.

"Hannah, your father and I are holding a press conference tomorrow. You don't have to be there," Claire informs their daughter.

 _Oh. That's what she's worried about._ Frank thinks to himself. It makes sense, given they are going to speak about her shooting. Claire hasn't fully processed what has happened to her yet. Revealing it to the public might not be cathartic for her.

"Okay. Have you thought about what you are going to say?"

"Seth is drawing up a statement for us," Frank answers for his wife. It would be better for them if they went off a pre-determined statement so there isn't room for error. Hopefully their new communications director is up to the task.

"Your visit to my school yesterday helped me, Daddy. Apparently, the most popular girl in school owes me a favor." Hannah changes the subject, tearing her father's eyes away from analyzing her mother.

"Good. It's always nice to be collecting favors. Isn't that right, Claire?"

Her father is antagonizing her mother and Hannah can't figure out why. Typically, if her parents are angry at each other, they avoid one another. Now, it's almost like her father is trying to get a rise out of her mother for an unknown reason. She was silent at dinner last night too, but her father left it alone. Not tonight though, he suddenly wants her input on everything.

"Of course." Is all Claire offers. Frank is punishing her for her silence. This is his way of telling her she should move beyond their conversation they had this morning. To look ahead, not back. A swift turnaround from the we-can-try-again attitude he possessed earlier.

"Why are you guys acting so weird?" Hannah asks. She doesn't expect an honest answer, not now anyway. Her parents will clue her in if they deem it necessary.

"We aren't. Finish your dinner," Frank instructs his daughter. Hannah scoffs and shoves a bite of food in her mouth to appease her father. Claire fires a warning glare at her husband. Lashing out at their daughter for inquiring about their silent argument is not constructive.

Claire momentarily leaves the table to grab a bottle of wine, pouring a healthy cup for herself. Frank eyes her, but doesn't comment. It's not his place to monitor her drinking. If he notices it becoming a problem, he will address it privately.

"I have a lot of homework to finish so…" Hannah excuses herself from the table without her parents' permission. She has no idea what is transpiring between her parents, but whatever it is, they can figure it out amongst themselves. She isn't going to be used as a pawn between them.

Claire and Frank eat their dinner in silence for a few moments, waiting until their daughter is out of hearing range.

"What you are doing is childish, Francis," Claire states.

"Is it?"

"Yes. You are scolding me."

"And why would I be doing that, Claire?" Frank asks and reaches across the table, taking a generous sip of her wine. Claire ignores her food, pushing her plate away so she can rest her arm on the table.

"I'm fully committed to what we are doing and where we are going."

"I don't have any doubts about that."

"We don't lie to each other. If there's something you need to say, say it."

She would rather have him yell at her than lie to her. Claire won't tolerate Frank lying to her face. They aren't like other couples, they don't have secrets from each other.

"I was uncomfortable with the way we left things this morning. I feel like you are hiding something from me."

Claire leans back in her chair, crossing her legs.

"What do you think it is that I'm keeping from you?"

Frank gets up from his chair and walks over to her, kneeling down. Claire tilts her head so she is eye-level with him.

"I can't have you thinking that I feel sorry for you, Claire. I don't love you any less or think of you differently because you had a miscarriage."

Frank knows all of her secrets, every dark fragment of her that makes her whole. As she does for him.

"That look in your eyes when we were speaking this morning…you haven't had that look since…McGinnis. I won't have my husband looking at me that way."

Claire is reopening an old wound in order to close a current one. They haven't spoken about her rape since the night of the pinning ceremony when Frank found out who had done it. She hopes to have the same outcome with her miscarriage, but not before they settle this issue between them.

His hand maneuvers its way to the back of her head, roughly pushing her lips against his. She accepts the kiss for what it is; his way of communicating to her he will treat her the same as he always has. She is his wife, his partner and his equal. Nothing changes that.

Their swollen lips separate with a smack. They can't escalate because of her current condition.

"Francis, we need to talk to Hannah," Claire whispers. Frank clasps her hand and walks with her upstairs to their daughter's room, knocking softly.

"Come in," Hannah yells from the other side of the door. She is shocked to see both parents entering her room. "Hey."

Frank and Claire sit on opposite sides of their daughter's bed. Hannah abandons her homework and focuses her attention on her parents.

"Hannah, what we did at dinner was unfair to you," Claire begins. Hannah nods. This as close as it gets to her mom apologizing to her.

"We didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," Frank adds.

"I know. You guys can discuss things in front of me. I don't want there to be any secrets," Hannah mutters.

"We understand," Claire agrees, ignoring Frank's questioning gaze. They can't afford to be transparent with Hannah, their daughter wouldn't look at her parents the same if she knew all that they've done to get where they are today.

"Is everything sorted out between you two?" Hannah asks.

"Yes. Your mother and I talked, and it won't happen again. We are moving forward, we _all_ are." Frank winks at Claire.

"Okay. Since we are being honest with each other…I've been…having nightmares."

Claire's mouth curls into a frown as a distressed look appears on Frank' face.

"Why didn't you say anything to us?" Frank asks.

"With everything going on, I didn't want you to worry about me. I'm fine, it's not every night." Hannah downplays it to alleviate any unnecessary guilt her parents might be feeling.

"Hannah, I want you to come into our room if you need to," Claire says firmly.

"I will," Hannah ducks her head, embarrassed by what she just admitted. Frank catches her chin, tilting her chin up.

"We love you, Hannah. We should say that more often to each other," Frank mumbles, stealing a line from his wife.

"I love you guys too."

Claire and Frank leave their daughters room, going into their own.

"Did you know she was having nightmares?" Claire asks Frank as she sits on their bed. She doubts it, their daughter usually confides in her before him.

"No, but it makes sense, with everything that has been going on," Frank says over his shoulder while getting undressed.

"Let's keep an eye on her."

"Of course." Frank approaches her, threading his fingers through hers.

"Are we any closer to getting Tusk?"

"Doug is going to watch him for the rest of the day and give me an update after the press conference tomorrow."

Frank turns to leave, but Claire keeps a firm grip on his hand. He quirks an eyebrow, wondering what his wife is thinking. She wraps an arm around his waist, bringing him in front of her. With her good hand, she lowers his zipper, a seductive simper forming on her lips.

"Here, let me," Frank says the next morning. Claire is struggling to dress herself due to her injury. He can only imagine how frustrating it must be for someone as independent as her to suddenly depend on someone to complete such a mundane task. His hand navigates to the zipper of her navy dress, gliding it up her spine.

"Thank you," Claire whispers. She is grateful she didn't have to ask him for help. Frank slips his hands through the gap in her arms, fanning his hands out on her waist. His lips dust the nape of her neck.

"We don't have to do this if you aren't ready." Claire doesn't have to sacrifice her privacy for them if she doesn't want to. They could easily release a written statement to be read and dissected by every major news outlet in the country. Face time isn't necessary, nobody has to see her shoulder wrapped in a sling.

She spins to face him, her heels making him eye-level with her. A feeling she can't explain is compelling her to step outside of her comfort zone and offer pieces of herself to the media.

"I'm ready." Her tone doesn't leave any wiggle room for doubt. People are waiting for them outside the townhouse, it would look bad if they canceled now. Not that Frank cares, he would still do the press conference without her if necessary.

"Okay…here," He hands her the sling, so she can position it just-so. She clicks it into place, wincing the slightest bit at the abrupt movement in her shoulder. Frank gulps back his comment about taking something for the pain. Claire won't, no matter how crippling it becomes. "Stunning. Shall we?"

"Yes." They descend the stairs hand-in-hand, nodding at the Secret Service to open the door to their townhouse, out into the press eager to hang on every word uttered from their mouths.

 **A/N 2: Next chapter, Claire and Frank's press conference doesn't go as planned and there's a surprise nobody will see coming. I can't wait! Please leave a review and thank you for reading. Happy Holidays!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Welcome back! I hope everyone had a good holiday season and are ready for the new year. I'm so excited to share this chapter with you guys, I really think you are going to like my little surprise. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twelve.**

 _Relax, Claire. Nobody is going to shoot you…again._ Claire repeats this in her head in a continuous loop. She ignores the prying eyes, writing and recording every movement of her and her husbands'.

Frank notices the iron-clad grip Claire has on his hand. He purposely positioned himself so she can use her good hand to clasp his if she needs to. His eyes slide over to her, completely in awe of her stoic demeanor. What she is about to do is not easy. Talking about something so traumatic so soon after it happened requires an extraordinary amount of courage. Not that he would expect anything less from his wife.

Claire steps up to the podium, letting her hand slip out of his. Her eyes dart from person-to-person, her ears picking up the clicks of their cameras. She clears her throat, senses her husband's hand on her back and forces herself to find her voice.

"As most of you know, while speaking at a rally with my husband in his hometown of Gaffney, South Carolina, I was shot in the shoulder by a still yet unknown assailant. Luckily, the damage caused by the bullet won't have any long-lasting effects on my health. My husband and I would like to thank the staff at the Gaffney Medical Center for taking such good care of me while I was a patient there, you made the recovery process smoother."

"It means the world to us to have such wonderful men and women who stepped up to treat my wife. I wouldn't expect anything less from the people of Gaffney. I couldn't imagine what I would do without her, and thanks to them, I won't have to." Frank says, exchanging loving looks with Claire. "If anyone has any information at all regarding Claire's shooting, we encourage them to step forward. Thank you."

Frank turns to leave, thinking Claire is right behind him. His wife is still at the podium, rooted to the ground. He approaches her, coiling his arm around her waist. She opens her mouth and shuts it again, debating whether she wants to proceed with her plan. Whatever she decides, she better do something fast.

"I wanted to…" Claire cuts herself off, "A few days ago, CNN released a video of my husband and I having a private conversation before I was shot. There has been speculation circulating that I was pregnant at the time of the shooting. And I just wanted to say…those rumors were true. I was four months pregnant when I got shot."

Frank and Claire hear audible gasps from the crowd. They weren't expecting the Underwoods' to address the video at all, given the sensitive nature of the subject. The second couple is notoriously private, heavily controlling what is released to the public.

"It pains me to say…" Claire clears her throat. "Due to the shooting and subsequent surgery afterward, I suffered a miscarriage while carrying our second child." Frank tightens his grip on her waist. She didn't have to do this, but he understands why she did. Revealing such an intimate detail about themselves will drum up sympathy for them and make them appear more relatable.

Frank notices Claire starting to struggle to string words together. He can tell she didn't expect to have this sort of reaction to disclosing her miscarriage. His hand navigates to hers, squeezing it to communicate to her that he will pick up where she left off.

"My wife has been through an incredibly distressing ordeal and we ask that you respect our need for privacy. We will not be making any further statements on this matter and we appreciate everyone's well-wishes. Thank you."

This time, Claire is the first to step away from the podium, ignoring reporter's shouting questions at her. Frank remains behind her the whole way, shielding her from anyone who gets too close. He shuts the door to the townhouse, effectively cutting off communication with the outside world.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to talk about the miscarriage?" Frank asks her. He isn't angry, but he doesn't think she should've blindsided him like that either. Having him looked as shocked as the rest of the world by her admission makes it seem like they keep secrets from each other, which couldn't be farther from the truth.

"I didn't know I was…I did what I thought was best. We should see what people are saying."

Frank follows Claire upstairs to their bedroom and watches her turn on the news.

" _Reporting live from Washington, D.C. where Vice President Underwood and his wife, Claire, have just held a press conference outside of their home. We were glad to see that she's okay, but shocked by the news of her miscarriage. What are your thoughts and reactions? Lindsay, we will turn to you first." Anderson Cooper says to a panel of politicians and journalists._

" _Thanks, Anderson. I will say that it was even surprising to hear Mrs. Underwood speak. Usually, the vice president does the majority of the talking for them, which is fine. It shocked me even more to hear about her miscarriage. What a sad thing to happen for them especially when she was so far along in her pregnancy, but I'm glad we heard it directly from her. It made it seem…I don't know…more heart-wrenching. As a mother and a woman, I could actually feel her pain."_

" _Could the fact that Mrs. Underwood said it instead of their communications director be some sort of ploy?" An older, white man speaks up._

"Unfucking believable," Frank mutters and crosses his arms. He recognizes the man speaking as a Republican congressman from Texas, Claire's home state.

" _Are you suggesting that the Vice President and his wife would lie about a miscarriage for political gain?" Anderson Cooper asks, the disgust evident in his tone. The Congressman blushes and shakes his head._

" _No, but it wouldn't surprise me. The Underwoods' are always conspiring about something. I'm just saying the timing is a little fishy, that's all."_

Claire bites the inside of her cheek so hard, she can taste blood in her mouth. Normally, she doesn't give a damn what people say about her, but what the congressman is implying stings. She revealed too much of herself and now the public has turned on her.

Frank sits on the bed beside her, lightly grasping her chin. Her eyes meet his briefly before she looks away.

"Don't doubt yourself, sweetheart. You did the right thing."

Their attention is brought back to the television. A Democratic strategist Frank has collaborated with over the years is currently weighing in on their press conference.

" _How dare you imply Mrs. Underwood is exploiting her miscarriage! She not only got shot in front of her husband, but they lost their second child. I have known the Underwoods' for many years and they wouldn't go public with this unless they felt it could help people. For you to invalidate their grief by making erroneous statements about them using their trauma for political gain is reckless."_

Frank and Claire smirk at each other. She reaches around him to turn off the television, not needing to hear any more. They hope the reaction to the press conference will be overwhelmingly positive, especially with the coverage they are getting on CNN. Of course, there will always be people who don't like them and never will, but people on the fence could be swayed in their direction.

"I'm thinking of going back to work tomorrow, Francis," Claire mumbles after a few moments of silence. She can't sit in the townhouse with nothing to do, it's driving her crazy.

Frank is wary about the idea, he thinks she is underestimating her recovery. However, sitting at a desk doing paperwork won't exacerbate her injury. If she needs something to occupy her mind, he won't deny her. And really, she's not asking for his permission. She's going to do as she pleases with or without his blessing.

"Okay, I'll be happy to have you back. Claire, this morning Hannah told me about her debate competition at the school tonight. If you don't want to go…"

"No. Of course I'll go. Don't tell her, I want it to be a surprise." She wants to be there to support her daughter, regardless of current circumstances.

"Good. I have to go in, I'll see you later." He brushes a kiss to her cheek and leaves her in their bedroom.

Later that night, Frank and Claire quietly enter the auditorium to Hannah's school. They sit as far back as possible, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. Unfortunately, many parents have already caught onto the second couples' arrival. Whispers and people pointing surround them.

"That's Claire Underwood! Look," Frank hears behind him. He turns his head to pinpoint the source of the voice as Claire rests her hand on his knee.

"What's she doing here? I thought she just got shot," another person says back. Claire digs her nails into the fabric of Frank's pants until he clasps her hand in his own.

"She looks fine to me…who knows, she probably was being dramatic for the cameras," a third woman pipes up.

Frank whips around to glare at the women talking about his wife. Claire tugs on his hand, urging him to turn back around.

"Don't give into them," Claire whispers to him. She appreciates how protective he is of her, but tonight is about Hannah.

Frank and Claire proudly watch their daughter eviscerate her opponent. Hannah is calm, concise and deliberate in her speech. Her tone never wavers even when insults are flung her way.

"It's like I'm watching a pint-sized version of you," Frank mutters in her ear. Claire beams at Hannah, who catches her eye. Hannah winks at Claire and finishes her current thought.

"She's amazing, Francis," Claire gushes in awe and leans her head on his shoulder.

After the competition is over, Hannah rushes to find her parents in the crowd. No surprise to her that her parents are surrounded by people eager to hear about Claire's condition.

"I'm fine, really, thank you for asking," Claire insists to Lauren's mom. Frank stands next to his wife, her arm looped through his.

"Han, I'm so proud," Frank says to his daughter when Hannah permeates the growing crowd of admirers.

"You did so good, honey," Claire agrees. Hannah nods, embarrassed by all the attention.

Frank and Claire are relieved they can set aside everything to support their daughter. It makes them seem like a normal family.

"Excuse me a second," Frank says when he hears his phone ring. Hannah and Claire stay behind to accommodate the people lingering to speak to the Underwoods'.

"Sir, we finally tracked down the wire transfer Kinsey received," Doug begins.

"And?"

"Long story short, the money came from one of Tusk's subsidiaries. We got him, Sir."

"Thank you, Doug," Frank tells his chief of staff sincerely and hangs up the phone. A grin chases across his lips while he walks back to Claire and Hannah.

"Mr. Vice President, we were just saying how wonderful your daughter did," a faculty member tells Frank as he rejoins his wife and daughter.

"She did great, we are so proud," Frank says politely. Claire nods in agreement and glances at her husband. He is ready to leave, and so is she.

"Hannah, we should get going," Frank tells his daughter.

"Okay," Hannah trails behind her parents, waving goodbye to classmates on the way out.

"What did Doug have to say?" Claire asks on the way back to their townhouse.

"We have some solid evidence that Tusk is behind everything that happened," Frank informs Hannah and Claire.

"Really? What's going to happen to him, Daddy?" Hannah asks.

"He's going to be arrested as soon as possible."

"Do you think Garrett will intervene?" Claire asks.

"He can pardon Tusk if he wants, but it wouldn't play well for him. Especially not after our press conference today," Frank explains.

"I thought what you did was really brave, Mom," Hannah mutters.

"Thank you, honey," Claire responds. "We should celebrate tomorrow. Go out to dinner as a family."

"Oh, we should go to that new sushi place Lauren suggested," Hannah says with a wide grin on her face.

"We can go wherever you want, Han," Frank tells his daughter. After all they put the teenager through these past few months, she deserves a night out.

"Goodnight Mom, Daddy," Hannah says when they arrive back at the townhouse.

"Night, you did good today," Frank tells her and brings the teenager in for a hug.

"You already said that," Hannah complains with an eye roll and moves to hug her mother.

"Let your father have his moment," Claire lightly scolds while she stamps a kiss to the top of her daughter's head. Hannah laughs as she bounds up the stairs to her bedroom.

"We got him, Claire," Frank tells his wife. He engulfs her in a one-armed hug, rubbing her back. He severs their embrace, but his hand remains on her good shoulder.

"We did it, Francis," Claire whispers back. She is ecstatic Tusk is going to be removed from the equation, leaving only Walker in their path to the Oval Office.

He presses a deep kiss to her lips, reaching to cup her cheek. When they separate, Claire goes to the fridge to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses. She meets Frank at the windowsill. He has already lit a cigarette and takes a puff while she pours them their wine.

"To us," Frank declares, holding up his wine glass. Claire grins and clinks glasses with him, letting the liquid pour down her throat. Frank hands her the cigarette while he drinks his wine.

"A union like no other," Claire says. She takes a healthy drag of the cigarette before handing it back to him, her fingertips brushing his. Frank holds the cigarette to his lips, letting it linger. "What's on your mind, Francis?"

"You…us…what's next."

"You know what's next."

"No, I mean after the Oval. What do we do after that?"

"Then it's my turn," Claire says with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Frank laughs as he presses the rim of the wine glass to his lips.

"I don't think this country is ready for a Claire Underwood presidency."

"You will have to warm them up for me."

"It's so good to have you back, Mrs. Underwood," her assistant says the next morning.

"Thank you. Are my messages on my desk?" Claire wastes no time easing her way back into work. She wants everyone to know it's business as usual.

"Yes, your messages are on your desk along with all the flowers and cards you've received while you were away. There is also a pile of interview requests for you to sort through. Apparently, your press conference resonated with a lot of people."

Claire nods and shuts the door to her office. She won't be doing any interviews any time soon. They made it perfectly clear they won't be discussing the miscarriage ever again and doing an interview would directly contradict that.

A myriad of flowers lines the shelves of her office, with cards enclosed in each one. One particular bouquet catches her eye, white tulips sitting in the middle of her desk. She shakes her head and grabs the card, not surprised in the slightest when she discovers it's from her husband.

 **To the future First Lady and love of my life.**

 **-F.**

Claire leaves the card in her desk and moves the flowers so she has room to spread out. She boots up her laptop and starts combing through a weeks' worth of emails.

An hour later, Claire is disrupted by someone knocking on her door.

"Come in," Claire yells. She assumes it's her husband since he's the only one besides Hannah who could drop by her office unannounced without warranting a call from her assistant.

"Hey," Franks says and shuts the door behind him. Claire throws her glasses on the desk and smirks at her husband. "What?"

She watches him sit on the edge of her desk, glancing over at her laptop.

"You don't have to check up on me, Francis. I'm doing fine."

Frank pretends to look offended before his grin gives him away.

"I was just checking to see if you got my flowers."

Her eyebrow quirks in amusement as she crosses her legs.

"I did. Thank you for them, they are beautiful. Now, what did you really come here for?"

"Doug and I have a meeting to discuss what we are going to do about Tusk. I want you to be there."

Claire nods, she wants to be involved in everything related to the takedown of Raymond Tusk. This man is responsible for hurting her first child and killing her second. Whatever they can do to make him suffer, they will.

"Fine. When is it?" Claire asks and stands up, abandoning her work for the time being.

"Now. Come on," He reaches down and accidentally grabs her damaged arm, tugging on it.

A mix between a groan and a gasp escapes Claire's lips as pain radiates up her arm. Frank spins around, remorse seeping into his features. She blinks rapidly to clear the tears from her eyes before he notices. He carefully brings her closer to him, letting his wife regain her composure before they leave her office.

"I should've been more mindful of your injury," Frank mumbles. Claire blots her eyes with her good arm, taking in a rattling breath. She didn't realize how painful her shoulder still is even though she had surgery less than a week ago.

"I should've taken some pain medication before I came into work," Claire whispers back. She gently pulls away, giving him a nod to signal she is ready.

His hand locates the small of her back this time, following her out into the hallway that connects their two offices. They notice people staring at them, wondering how the second couple is coping without actually asking. Both Frank and Claire hate the prying eyes, but it's what they expected after the press conference.

Doug is waiting for them in Frank's office, standing up when they enter the room. Claire sits in a chair across from her husband's desk. She only sits on the edge of it or in his lap when it's just them or Hannah in the room. Even though they are husband and wife, it's important to them that they still maintain a professional demeanor when at work.

"Alright Doug, what's the latest?" Frank asks. He has been eagerly awaiting news on Tusk since his chief of staff called him last night.

Doug approaches the desk, sitting in the chair next to Claire.

"Well, Sir, it depends on how you want to play it. Right now, Tusk is in St. Louis. He isn't due back in Washington for at least a couple of days. We could wait until then and risk the press finding out, or we can confront this now."

Frank meets Claire's eyes and watches a smirk blossom on her lips. He knows that smile well, she made her choice and it's the same as his.

"I want you to arrange a private meeting between us as soon as possible. If I have to get on a plane to St. Louis, I will. Just make it happen, Doug."

"Yes sir," Doug says and leaves the couple to continue their discussion.

"I have to get to a meeting. Apparently, Trisha can't figure out how to get Garrett's attention without me holding her hand. I'll see you at dinner?"

Frank manages to chuckle at Claire's comment. He can tell his wife is enjoying manipulating the current First Lady.

"Have fun." He watches her leave, shaking his head in amusement.

"Yes, we can provide you with a full security detail if you decide to travel to St. Louis," Agent Pierce tells Frank.

After Claire left earlier in the afternoon, Frank decided that he wasn't going to wait for Doug. He is going to travel to St. Louis on his own and settle this with Tusk. Now, Agent Pierce is briefing him on the security measures required to make the trip.

"Good. I want as few men with me as possible. And Meechum stays with Hannah and Claire while I'm gone." Frank wants his favorite agent protecting his wife and daughter rather than him.

"Understood."

Hannah comes bursting into her father's office by herself, telling Meechum to wait outside for her. Either her dad is in a meeting and will be available soon or he will send her to her mother's office. She frowns when she sees her dad speaking with someone, so she plops herself down on the couch and takes out her phone.

"Hannah, I will be ready to go in a minute. Where's your mother?" Frank asks, craning his neck around Agent Pierce's body.

"She sent me a text that she will meet us in your office when she's done."

Frank shakes his head. It's just like his wife to throw herself into work on her first day back.

"Okay. Hannah, this is Agent Pierce, the man who has been helping us with security," Frank informs his daughter. Hannah stands up and goes over to the man, who seems to be shielding his face from her.

"Hi, Hannah Underwood. It's nice to…" Hannah's voice trails off as she sees more of Agent Pierce's profile. She has met this man before, on the day of her accident. "Oh my God, it's you."

Frank furrows his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what his daughter is talking about. Before he gets a chance to ask, Agent Pierce grabs Hannah and pulls out his gun, pressing it against her temple.

 **A/N 2: I'll let you digest for a minute…no spoilers this time! Please leave a review on your way out and thank you for reading. More to come soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: As always, thank you for all the reviews, they are so nice to read. I hope you liked my surprise at the end of last chapter and enjoy this one as well.**

 **Chapter Thirteen.**

" _Bye Daddy, I'll see you later," Hannah tells her father at the threshold of the door. Frank waves goodbye and heads upstairs to check on Claire. The teenager walks to the car, replaying the morning she just had with her parents. Her mother insisted her throwing up had to with food poisoning, but Hannah doubts that. Claire wasn't sick last night; the teenager would've remembered if that was the case._

 _When Hannah gets to the car, two men she is unfamiliar with are waiting for her. One is a taller man with sandy blonde hair and evergreen eyes. The other, a shorter brunette with charcoal eyes._

" _Who are you guys? What happened to my usual detail? Where's Kevin and Robin?" Hannah asks one of the men. She is debating running back inside to ask her parents, but decides against it._

" _They've been reassigned to another person for the time being," the blonde man lies. Hannah furrows her eyebrows, she has had the same people take her to school every day since she was six. For them to all of the sudden be reassigned is odd._

" _Okay…do my parents know about this?" The teenager asks. She isn't getting in the car unless she is sure these men are where they are supposed to be._

" _Yes. You are going to be late for school if you don't hurry up," The brunette man says with a snarl._

" _I'm not going anywhere until you call my Dad so he can tell me my detail has been reassigned," Hannah insists. "Start dialing."_

" _We don't have time for this." Hannah protests as the brunette man yanks on her arm and shoves her into the front seat of the car._

" _Easy Kinsey, easy. We don't need to scare her," the blonde says and climbs into the back seat._

" _Shut up, Pierce. We have a job to do and I intend on doing it so we can get paid," Kinsey snaps and roughly pulls away from the curb._

"D-D-Da…dy," Hannah whispers, the lump in her throat constricting her voice. The cool metal of the gun against her skin is causing her to tremble even more.

"It's okay, Hannah, just try to relax," Frank tells his daughter. He wonders how he and Claire could've been so wrong about this. It wasn't Tusk, it was just set up to look like it was him. Still, Frank is clueless as to why a high-ranking Secret Service Agent is trying to kill him and his family. "This isn't going to work out well for you. Someone is going to find us and realize what is happening. You aren't going to make it out of here alive."

Frank is confident whenever Claire comes she is going to discover something is wrong and alert the Secret Service. Within a matter of minutes, hundreds of agents are going to be swarming Frank's office.

"I don't plan on living through this," Pierce pushes Hannah towards the couch and moves to lock the door. "I plan on killing you, your daughter, your wife and then myself."

Frank swallows deeply and uses Pierce's back being turned to his advantage. He quietly reaches in his desk and pulls out a letter opener, shoving it deep into his pockets. If it comes down to it, Frank will have to kill Pierce in front of Hannah to save them.

Hannah watches her father silently and wipes a cascading tear from her eye. She shouldn't have said anything about recognizing Pierce, then none of this would be happening.

"Why are you doing this to us?" Hannah asks, her voice thick with tears. Pierce whips around and moves towards the teenager. Frank moves to step in front of Hannah, using his body as a shield.

"Ask your father, Hannah. And your mother. Speaking of her, where is that bitch?" Pierce asks Frank, just to antagonize him. Hannah watches his father's fingers curl into a fist. She knows her father won't tolerate anyone talking about her or Claire that way. _Please don't hit him, Daddy,_ Hannah thinks to herself.

"That's none of your concern," Frank tells Pierce. He won't let his wife become entangled in this, she has already been through enough. Pierce steps away from Frank and approaches his desk, grabbing the framed photo of him and Claire at a campaign rally several years ago. He slams it on the desk so hard the glass shatters.

"Actually, your wife is one of the main reasons I am here. If my man did his job right, she would already be dead. My condolences on the loss of your baby by the way, that really wasn't part of the plan. But, if you want a job correctly, you got to do it yourself, right?" Pierce asks Frank and Hannah.

"She hasn't done anything to you, asshole," Hannah snaps at him. Pierce pushes past Frank, pushing his gun into her jawline.

"You should really watch your language, little girl. Frank, why don't you tell your daughter who Steve is?"

"Steve? What does my former head of security have to do with this?" Frank asks Pierce.

"My _brother_ was in love with your wife. I told him he was wasting his time with such a whore, but he couldn't help himself." Frank's eyes widen and then darken at Pierce's comment. He will kill Pierce when this is all over for his comments about Claire. "Anyway, when she came to visit my brother in the hospital, he told her how much he hated you and how he was in love with her. You know what your wife did to him, Frank. Don't you?"

Frank nods, Claire told him about visiting Steve. They paid for his funeral and severed all ties with his family, or so he thought. Pierce tugs on Hannah's hair and shoves the gun deeper into her neck, making her cough.

"Your wife humiliated my brother on his deathbed." Hannah glances at her father, confused as to what Pierce is talking about. Pierce catches the teenager's expression and kneels down in order to be eye-level with Hannah, gliding the gun across her throat. "Do you want to hear what your _disgusting_ mother did, Hannah?"

Hannah shakes her head and flinches when Pierce clicks the safety off of the gun.

"My daughter didn't do anything to you or your brother, let her go. You can still have me." Frank interrupts Pierce before he can tell Hannah about what Claire did to Steve before he died. Hannah shakes her head, tears clouding her vision.

"No. If I can't have your wife, I will keep your daughter instead. I want Claire Underwood to see her family dead before I kill her."

Claire wraps up her phone call and shuts down her laptop. She gathers her coat and purse before leaving her office, making the short journey to Frank's.

"Edward, are Francis and Hannah in there?" Claire asks.

"Yes. Hannah went in to bother your husband about twenty minutes ago," Meechum tells Claire. She tugs on the door handle, surprised to find it locked. Her husband's office door is never locked unless they are in there together or he is at home. Even when he is in a meeting, he leaves his office door unlocked for her in case she wants to work in there instead. As she does for him.

"Why is this door locked?" Claire asks and yanks on the handle again.

Inside, Hannah, Frank and Pierce can hear Claire talking to Meechum. Frank is silently praying Pierce doesn't try to grab Claire from the outside.

"Ma'am, back away from the door," Meechum tells her. Both Claire and Meechum are starting to get the feeling something is wrong. Claire does as she is told and whips out her cellphone, frantically dialing her husband. Frank can hear his phone vibrating on his desk, next to Hannah's. Pierce collected them pretty quickly after he took them hostage.

 **You have reached Frank Underwood. At the tone, please leave your message.**

Claire hangs up and dials Hannah, hanging up when she gets her daughter's voicemail. She shakes her head at Meechum, prompting him to raise an alert.

"We have a situation. I need all available agents to the vice president's office as soon as possible," Meechum says into his headset.

Claire allows Meechum to step in front of her, guiding her away from Frank's office door.

"Who is in there with them?" Claire asks Meechum. Frank has so many meetings during the day, it's hard to pinpoint who is in his office from one moment to the next.

"I don't know, but we have to find out."

Pierce orders Frank and Hannah to sit on the couch next to each other while he goes to the other side of the door.

"Claire Underwood!" Pierce yells.

Claire freezes when she hears her name. Meechum nods and she advances towards the door, hugging the wall instead of standing directly in front of it.

"Yes, who is this?" Claire asks back.

"It doesn't matter who I am. All you need to know is that I have your husband and daughter in here at gunpoint. If you or any of your agents try to come in here, I will shoot them right in front of you so you can watch them die."

Claire takes a deep breath and forces herself to stay calm. She can't allow her emotions to cloud her judgment. Frank and Hannah are going to need her to coordinate from the outside.

"What is it that you want?" Claire asks. More agents are starting to arrive, forming a soft perimeter around Frank's office. No matter how many agents gather outside, the threat is inside his office. If the person holding Hannah and Frank decide to kill them, there isn't much the agents can do.

"I want ten million dollars, a plane and safe passage to a country of my choosing. That is, _after_ I decide what to do with Frank and Hannah."

"If you can't guarantee Hannah and Vice President Underwood's safety, your demands won't be met. You know that," Meechum says.

"I will only speak to Claire, Meechum. Are you still there, Mrs. Underwood?" Pierce asks.

"Yes, I'm here."

"Good. You have two hours to gather everything I requested. If, at the end of those two hours I don't have what I want, I will kill your daughter."

While Pierce is conversing with Claire, Frank nudges Hannah, pressing his finger to his lips to prevent her from saying anything. Hannah glances up at him and watches her father take the letter opener out of his pocket.

"Listen to me Hannah, he isn't going to let us walk out of here alive. I need you to take this and use it when I tell you to, okay?" Frank whispers to Hannah. Hannah swallows a sob and quickly hides the letter opener in the skirt of her school uniform.

"What are you saying, Daddy?" Hannah whispers back.

"Hannah, we are going to have to kill him."

The chilling nature of her father's declaration is enough to make Hannah sick to her stomach. He promised her if they ever found out the people behind these attacks, he would handle them. Now, he is delivering on his promise and he's asking for her help to do so.

The teenager doesn't know much about politics, only what her parents have told her and what she has learned from school. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Pierce isn't going to get what he asked for. Even though her father is the Vice President, the United States government doesn't negotiate with terrorists. As far as Hannah is concerned, unless her mother can figure out something, they are on their own.

Claire calls Trisha Walker and tells her about the current situation. Having a direct line to the president has its advantages sometimes.

"That's awful, Claire. I'm so sorry. Garrett is in his office if you would like to speak to him," Trisha tells Claire.

"Thank you, Trisha," Claire hangs up before the First Lady can offer an empty reassurance. "Edward, come with me. We need to see the president."

Meechum follows Claire into the Oval Office. Claire doesn't even bother to knock or wait for permission to enter the office. Walker is going to hear her out one way or another.

"Claire, I just heard about Frank and Hannah. The Secret Service is doing everything they can to make sure your family makes it out safely," Walker tells her. She stomps the urge to roll her eyes, it's exactly what she expected him to say, but it isn't why she came.

"Thank you, Garrett. This man is asking for ten million dollars and safe passage out of the country. He gave us two hours to do as he asked." Claire isn't going to voice what happens if they don't comply. She won't allow herself to think of the alternative.

"Yes, I have been briefed on the latest. I don't have to tell you our policy on terrorism, Claire. We can't give into his demands. It would set a dangerous precedent, I'm sorry." Walker sets his hand on Claire's good shoulder. She immediately shrugs it off, not accepting any of Walker's pity.

"None of this would've happened if you didn't have a better control of your administration, Garrett. Francis has been going out of his way to save your pathetic presidency from crumbling since you stepped foot into the Oval. I am asking for your help, but I will do what's necessary to save my family without you." Claire's voice gets dangerously low by the end of her speech. Walker is taken aback by the coldness of Claire's demeanor. He has never seen this side of her before.

"You knew before you even came in here what my response would be, Claire. Why bother asking?"

Claire spins around a few steps away from the door.

"I wanted to give you the chance to show your strength and save your Vice President. You owe Francis that much." She shows herself out, not caring that she just burned a bridge with a powerful ally. She's not going to sit by and let Hannah and Frank be killed. Claire is making sure she does everything she can, or she won't be able to forgive herself.

Pierce sits down on the couch across from Frank and Hannah, clutching his gun.

"This was never part of your plan, was it?" Frank asks. Pierce was forced to expedite his plans after Hannah recognized him.

"No. I was going to wait until you got to St. Louis and kill you there. Then, I would come back to Washington and kill your wife and daughter." Pierce says it so matter-of-factly, it causes Hannah to have goosebumps.

"Was I supposed to die in the accident?" Hannah asks out of curiosity. Pierce's eyes slide over to the teenager.

"No. At that point, we just wanted to send a message to your parents. And then you saw Kinsey in the Oval Office."

"So, naturally, he had to die," Frank picks up for Pierce. He's been in politics long enough to spot a liability. If Kinsey started talking before Pierce had the chance to execute his plans, everything would unravel.

"Of course. And the man who couldn't kill your wife at the rally and later in the hospital had to go too." Hannah shakes her head. "Oh, don't look so offended, Hannah. I'm sure your parents have done far worse things to get where they are today. Isn't that right, Frank? Why don't you tell your daughter all of the things you and your wife have done?"

Frank and Claire do whatever they can to shield their daughter from the harsh realities of politics. They have done unspeakable things to ensure their ascent to the Oval their daughter can and will never be aware of.

Hannah doesn't want to know her father's answer to Pierce's question. Maybe it's naïve of her, but the teenager would rather think of her parents doing whatever is necessary to secure her future and leave it at that. The details don't matter to her.

"No. I don't care about diplomatic protocol…put me in touch with Cathy Durant, please," Claire snaps into the phone. She's been getting the runaround from the State Department since she left the Oval Office an hour ago. If Pierce believes they are doing everything they can to get the items he requested, it will hopefully prevent from killing Frank and Hannah. "Cathy, hi, it's Claire."

"Claire, I just got off the phone with the president. How can I help you?" Claire lets out a sigh, she figured Walker would contact Cathy, a close confidant of the Underwoods'. He wants to make sure Claire isn't circumventing his authority. Claire has to admire him for that, it's exactly what her husband would do.

"I'm wondering if it was possible to ensure safe passage out of the country for someone."

"I'm sorry, Claire. The president instructed me not to assist you in any way. My hands are tied. I hope for the best for Frank and your daughter, but the State Department can't be involved officially or unofficially."

"Of course, I understand," Claire hangs up the phone. There is only an hour left for her to figure out a plan. The White House has turned its back on them, whatever Claire does, it will be without its support. She heads back to the staging area outside of Frank's office, so she can be there in case something goes wrong.

Inside, Hannah and Frank are getting antsy. Neither one wants to sit around and wait to be killed by Pierce. Pierce is busy combing through Frank's desk, sneering when he finds a picture of Frank and Claire at a New Year's Eve party to celebrate Walker's upcoming inauguration. Frank and Claire are kissing in the picture, his hand splashed on her cheek.

"You two really are just the _perfect_ pair, aren't you? So _happy_ , so _in love_." Pierce says in a mocking tone and rips the picture in half before throwing it in the garbage.

Pierce is getting agitated, Frank can tell. It's only a matter of time before he starts shooting. He leans over and squeezes Hannah's hand. The time do to what they planned is now.

"You and your brother are cowards," Hannah says, eliciting looks from her father and Pierce.

"Hannah, I would be careful what you say," Pierce warns, holding up the gun to show her who holds the leverage in this situation.

"If your brother wanted my mom so badly, why didn't he do something about it?" Hannah won't back down. "Instead, he waited until he was dying to tell her that he loved her. He's pathetic. You may hate my father for being a dick and loving my mother, but at least he had the courage to take what he wants. Your brother just watched from afar like a sad, little puppy."

Pierce walks over to Hannah and slaps her across the face with the butt of the gun. Hannah holds a hand to her cheek and glares at Pierce. Frank comprehends what Hannah is trying to do, but she should be cautious. This could easily backfire on them.

"Do not fucking touch my daughter," Frank warns, his Southern drawl coming out as a growl. Pierce takes this as a challenge and picks Hannah up by her hair. His gun presses up against her neck. Hannah reaches for her skirt, easing the letter opener into her hand, being careful not to give herself away by looking down.

"I want you to take one last look at your father, Hannah. Tell him that you love him before I kill you. Do it!" Pierce yells in her ear, his breath hot on her neck.

Frank eases closer to Hannah and nods. Hannah gets a firm grip on the letter opener and drives it into Pierce's lower abdomen with all of her strength. In a state of shock, Pierce drops the gun as Hannah reaches to stab him again. Frank moves to grab the weapon, urging his daughter to move out of the way so he doesn't accidentally hit her. From the floor, Frank shoots Pierce on the side of the stomach, adjacent to the injury Hannah just inflicted.

From outside, Claire's breath catches in her throat when she hears the shot. She isn't sure who just got hit, Frank or Hannah.

"Francis? Hannah? Go in there, now!" Claire demands at the Secret Service. They are wasting precious time by standing around. Hannah or Frank could require immediate medical attention. Meechum nods and gives a signal to his men to start breaking down the door.

Frank stands up and hovers over Pierce's body. Hannah stands next to him, wondering what her father is going to do.

"Look away. I don't want you to see this." Frank whispers to Hannah and shoots Pierce again in the head. Hannah doesn't listen to her father and watches him kill Pierce.

"Stop," Meechum declares when they hear the second shot. He glances over at Claire and shakes his head. He doesn't need to tell her what those shots mean. One for Frank, one for Hannah. They are dead. They failed them.

 **A/N 2: We are so close to the end, I'm not giving out anymore spoilers. You will just have to come back and read the final chapters. Thank you for stopping by and please leave a review on your way out.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: As always, thank you for leaving me a review, I love getting them. I really don't have much to say except I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!**

 **Chapter Fourteen.**

Hannah can't tear her eyes away from Pierce's dead body. She keeps replaying the shooting in her mind. Her father's hand on her shoulder draws her out of her reverie, making her flinch.

"We need to go," Frank tells her. He throws the gun down next to Pierce. Nobody will question the nature of the agent's death. Frank killed him in self-defense to save himself and Hannah. Only Frank and Hannah will know what actually happened.

Outside, the Secret Service agents are preparing for entry. The mission is now to recover Frank and Hannah's bodies and to kill or arrest the person responsible. Claire walks to an empty corner of the hallway while the agents discuss their plan. Every part of her is numb. She doesn't think she could cry even if she wanted to. Frank and Hannah are dead along with the baby she already lost. Whoever did this to them won.

Meechum excuses himself from his fellow secret service agents to speak to Claire. He feels personally responsible for the failure of their rescue mission. Hannah was his responsibility, he shouldn't have let her enter Frank's office alone. He knows if he was in there with Hannah and Frank, Pierce wouldn't have been able to go as far as he did.

"Mrs. Underwood," Meechum gently touches Claire's undamaged shoulder. Claire flinches away from him. She doesn't want anyone to touch her right now.

"What is it Edward?" Meechum leans forward to hear Claire's strained voice.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm sor…"

"Don't." Claire cannot hear anyone's apologies for the death of her husband and daughter. She failed them, the Secret Service and the United States government failed them. They are all accountable for Frank and Hannah's death. Nothing anyone can say will absolve the guilt eating away at her. Meechum is taken aback by Claire's sharp tone and nods in understanding.

"We will go in there and you will get a chance to say goodbye." Meechum tells her. Claire nods and turns to face the wall, not wanting Meechum to see her cry.

"Daddy, wait," Hannah mutters before they exit his office. Frank stops and turns to face his daughter. "We did what we had to do, right?" Her eyes slide over to Pierce and then back to her father. Frank reaches to pinch her cheek.

"He was going to kill us, Han. We saved ourselves. Come on," Frank holds out his arm for Hannah, coaxing her to the door. Hannah follows him, leaning her head against his shoulder. Frank opens the door, not expecting Meechum to be holding a gun to his chest. Hannah turns towards her father, not wanting to see the weapon after her ordeal with Pierce.

"Sir?" Meechum asks and immediately withdraws his weapon. "Hannah?" He didn't expect to see them alive. "We heard two shots…and…"

Claire hears Meechum and pushes herself off the wall, wanting to know what is happening.

"Where is Claire?" Frank asks. Claire gasps when she hears her husband's voice. She never thought she would hear his distinctive Southern drawl again.

"Mom!" Hannah exclaims and runs over to her mother, carefully hugging her with one arm.

"Hi," Claire whispers, her voice thick with tears. She presses a kiss to her daughter's hair and sniffs. Hannah pulls back and coils her arm around her mom's waist.

Frank briefs Meechum on what happened with Pierce. He catches Claire's eye and smiles at her. He will let her have a moment with Hannah before joining them.

"Are you okay?" Claire asks while inspecting the bruise on Hannah's face.

"I'm fine," Hannah says quickly. She is too wrapped up in seeing her mother and being away from Pierce that the full nature of her ordeal hasn't hit her yet. Her life was threatened several times today and she watched her father kill someone in front of her. Hannah isn't going to be fine for a while, but she will do her best to hide it, just like her mother would.

"Thank you Meechum," Frank says and moves past him, wanting to get to Claire.

"I'm going to…go annoy Meechum," Hannah mumbles when she sees her parents looking at each other.

"Okay, stay close," Claire mumbles. She isn't letting Hannah out of her sight for a while. What happened today rattled her more than she will admit. Hannah nods and walks away.

Frank steps towards Claire and opens his arms, holding his wife tight to his frame.

"Francis…I thought…" Claire trails off when he shushes her. His free hand loops under her sling, gently rocking them back and forth. She closes her eyes for a moment, holding back the onslaught of tears threatening to fall. They are okay. The people who are responsible are dead. They achieved the best possible outcome.

"It's over," Frank whispers to her and severs their hug. His hand cups her cheek as he stamps a quick kiss to her lips.

For as much as Claire wants to know what happened, she doesn't press her husband for details. He will tell her everything when he is ready.

"Can we go, or do you need to stay?" Claire asks. She wants nothing more than to be at the townhouse with her family. Away from all the chaos surrounding them for the last few months.

"They want to brief me, but it can wait until morning." Frank would rather step away from the situation for a little while. He can return tomorrow with this behind him. He clasps his hand in hers and walks them over to Hannah.

"Are you ready?" Claire asks their daughter. Hannah eagerly nods, she won't be stepping foot in her dad's office for a long time. From now on, she is going to look at the spot where Pierce died, where her father killed him.

"Yes," Hannah whispers. She hovers close to Claire, preferring to keep her distance from Frank at the moment. Today, the teenager saw a glimpse of her father's ruthless pragmatism he is known for. It's going to take her a while to adjust. She doesn't blame him because he's right, Pierce would've killed them both if he hadn't intervened.

Frank closes the car door behind him. He's noticed Hannah has been clinging to Claire since they left the White House. It kills him to know he wasn't able to protect his daughter from Pierce's rage. He doesn't regret what he did, though. Pierce left him no choice.

Claire watches Hannah carefully, looking for any signs of emotion from her daughter. So far, the teenager hasn't opened up much about what happened in Frank's office. She doesn't like being kept in the dark, not knowing the full scope of what occurred earlier. However, she knows Hannah is like her emotionally. Her daughter suppresses her feelings until they spring up unexpectedly. Frank and Claire need to be there when that happens, so they can help their daughter through it.

The SUV pulls to a stop in front of the townhouse. Meechum opens the door, holding out a hand for Hannah to grasp. The teenager accepts it, smiling at the agent. Claire and Frank get out afterwards, nodding at Meechum.

It seems like they haven't been home in days, but it's only been mere hours. Hannah wonders if she is supposed to go to school tomorrow, if she can even handle being there all day. Claire silently digs through the fridge, looking for something the family can eat for dinner. Hannah and Frank sit across each other from the dining room table, each wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"This is the best I can do," Claire mumbles and sets out some sandwiches for them to munch on. None of the three make a move to grab the food. Hannah sets her elbows onto the table, letting her face fall into her hands. Her shoulders start shaking. Claire and Frank glance at each other, wondering who is going to make the first move.

"Hannah…Hannah, look at me," Claire insists. She kneels down on the floor, using her good arm to rub her daughter's back. Claire knows trauma better than anyone. One minute you are fine, the next, you feel like you are suffocating. Frank gets out of his chair and kneels next to Claire on the floor. He wishes there's something he could say to make his daughter feel better.

"It's over, Hannah. I promise you," Frank whispers to the teenager. "You are safe."

"I know…" Hannah says, but doesn't elaborate.

"Honey, what your father did was scary, but it was necessary," Claire tells their daughter. She doesn't have any qualms about what he did, she just wishes Hannah wasn't there to witness it. Hannah lifts her head up; her cheeks are splotchy with tears.

"I don't care that's he's dead. I'm glad he's dead. I helped _kill_ someone, Mom." Hannah is still a child, no matter how much Claire and Frank want to believe she's grown up. She hasn't developed the method of pushing aside terrible things and moving forward like her parents have.

"You did what you had to do to survive. I am so sorry that we put you in this position," Claire says, breaking her own cardinal rule of never apologizing. Hannah deserves to hear it.

"Do you feel bad about killing him, Daddy?" Hannah asks Frank, looking him in the eye.

"Yes, I do," Frank lies. The truth is, he would kill Pierce all over again without thinking twice about it. He would rather have his daughter think he feels remorse like she does, to make her feel less alone. Hannah leans forward and loops her arms around her father's neck.

"Hannah, your emotions are going to be all over the place for a little while, but we _will_ get passed this. We have to," Claire tells her daughter firmly. She won't let this night derail their plans. They still have the Oval Office to capture.

Hannah nods and separates from her father.

"We should be channeling our anger and fear into getting what we want. We are so close," Frank agrees, pinching his daughter's cheek.

"I understand," the teenager says just above a whisper. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Hannah doesn't want to be alone with her thoughts. The nightmares she's been having are only going to intensify after the incident with Pierce.

"Of course, you can stay as long as you need to," Claire tells her daughter. Hannah grabs a sandwich and heads upstairs to her parents' room. She needs some time to decompress by herself.

Frank and Claire get off their knees and head to the windowsill. Frank is the first one to light the cigarette, closing his eyes when it touches his lips. Claire sits in her usual spot across from him, looking out into the neighborhood.

"She's become like us now, Francis," Claire comments softly. She has been trying to prevent that since Hannah was born, but it was inevitable. Their daughter can't be exposed to all the horrible things people do in the political sphere without becoming susceptible to it. Frank throws his head back against the windowsill and gives the cigarette to her.

"I know. I wish it didn't happen, but she can handle it." Claire agrees, their daughter is stronger than she thinks. They fall into a comfortable silence, passing the cigarette back and forth.

"You haven't asked about what happened," Frank observes.

"I figured you would tell me when you are ready. If you don't want to talk about it tonight, that's fine." Claire blows the smoke out of her mouth as Frank takes the cigarette from her.

"I should've seen Pierce coming, Claire. I was so focused on Tusk. Hannah could've d…"

"Francis, don't do this to yourself. Our daughter is safe and so are you. I won't waste time thinking of what might've been." He kisses her long and deep, a silent thank you for saying what he needed to hear.

"You're right. There's no room for doubt now. We have to focus on Walker and Tusk."

"I wouldn't worry about Walker, I think he's scared of me." Frank looks up at her in amusement.

"Because?"

"I told him his presidency was pathetic," Claire says nonchalantly and steals the cigarette out of her husband's hand. Frank laughs, his wife can be terrifying when she doesn't get what she wants. He would've loved to have seen Walker's face as she verbally emaciated him.

"Well, we won't have to deal with him much longer." Frank puts out the cigarette and glances at Claire. She tilts her head up and grins at him. They leave the windowsill together, heading upstairs to be with their daughter.

 **A/N 2: I know you got a shorter chapter than usual, but I did this on purpose. Next chapter is THE LAST, so start thinking about if you want a sequel. Thanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews you guys left me last chapter. Just a heads up, there is some overlap between this and** _ **The Fallout.**_ **I tried to minimize the extent of it, but it was inevitable. I hope you enjoy the last chapter!**

 **Chapter Fifteen.**

"Happy birthday, Mom!" Hannah exclaims. Claire is sitting by the windowsill, alone. The teenager glances around, looking for her father.

"He's still at work," Claire informs her daughter.

"Oh, that's okay, here." Hannah moves over to where her mother is sitting, claiming her father's spot on the windowsill. She digs in her backpack and hands Claire her present.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Claire says. Her and Frank aren't big into birthdays. They stopped giving each other presents years ago. The only birthday they still celebrate is Hannah's.

"You say that every year and yet, I ignore you. Open it." Claire relents, and tears open the wrapping paper. Inside is a framed photo of Claire, Hannah and Frank taken at the bill-signing ceremony. Hannah is sandwiched in between her parents, smiling broadly at the camera.

"Thank you." Claire sets the photograph down on the windowsill between the two of them.

"Dad helped me track down the White House photographer. I figured you could use a new photo in your office since the only one you have is from before I was born."

"I will definitely put this in my office tomorrow." Claire reaches behind Hannah to light a cigarette.

It's been a stressful month since the whole Pierce incident. Today was no exception. Frank is within arm's reach of the presidency, but the Justice Department has launched an investigation into illegal campaign contributions, putting the entire administration at risk. They still haven't figured out a way for Tusk and Walker to take the fall without implicating Frank.

Hannah sits quietly with her mother for a few moments. She is curious as to why her mom is smoking without her father. They haven't seen much of him lately, but Claire doesn't seem bothered by it.

"Mom, do you ever wish you didn't marry Dad?" Claire is slightly taken aback by her daughter's question. She lets the smoke filter out of her mouth before responding.

"No. Why do you ask?" Hannah shrugs, she already regrets bringing this topic of conversation up to her mother. She looks exhausted.

"When you were in the hospital, Dad mentioned something to me about you having to make a lot of sacrifices for him."

"Hannah, when your father proposed to me he said that I will never be bored. And he has kept his promise."

"But you're here and he's not, and it's your birthday," Hannah protests. Claire presses the cigarette to her lips. She doesn't expect her daughter to comprehend the intricacies of her marriage. Not many people do, except her and Frank.

"And if it was important to me, I would ask him, and he would be here." Hannah nods, accepting her mother's answer. Claire reaches over and tucks a piece of hair behind her daughter's ear. "I do appreciate you spending my birthday with me."

Hannah sheepishly smiles and ducks her head. Claire passes the cigarette to her daughter, who raises her eyebrows in shock.

"Can I?" Hannah asks. She has seen her parents do it a million times, but they have never invited her to join them. The teenager hasn't asked, she figured it was her parents time together and didn't want to encroach on that.

"I won't tell," Claire winks at her and watches her daughter take the cigarette. Hannah inhales it and coughs. Claire laughs just as Frank opens the front door.

"Have I been replaced?" Frank asks when he spots the cigarette in Hannah's hand. Hannah hands it back.

"No, you don't have to worry about that. I don't know why you two do this all the time. It's gross." Hannah stands up, letting her father reclaim his spot next to Claire.

"I see you got our present," Frank tells Claire, picking up the photograph between them. Claire hands him the cigarette as she nods.

"I did. It's lovely, thank you," Claire tells him.

"It was my idea," Hannah pipes up, not letting her father take all the credit. Frank laughs and puts out the cigarette. "Are you any closer, Daddy?"

"No, the situation with Walker is only getting worse," Frank informs Hannah and Claire.

"What can I do?" Claire asks, a question they often pose to each other when needed.

"We need to find a way to prove to them that we are on their side. What we are doing now isn't enough."

"Why don't you wine and dine them, Daddy? Show them that we are committed to defending them. Mom is good friends with Mrs. Walker, it's perfect," Hannah suggests. Claire and Frank mull over their daughter's idea. It's not out of the question, but they would have to play it carefully so they don't appear too transparent.

"Hannah does have a point. If Garrett sees you are trying to extend an olive branch, it could sway him." Claire recognizes how easy it is to manipulate the Walkers'. She has easily gained Trisha Walker's confidence without really trying. Although she angered Garrett when Frank and Hannah were kidnapped, she is confident he will easily forgive her.

"Okay. I will float the idea to Walker. What should we serve them?" Frank asks.

"Cyanide," Claire and Hannah say simultaneously. Frank chuckles and shakes his head. His daughter is becoming more like his wife every day.

"Maybe for desert. Save some for Tusk too." Hannah notices her parents smirking at each other and she knows it's time to dismiss herself.

"Right…I'm going to finish my homework. Happy birthday, Mom." The teenager dusts a kiss to her mother's cheek and then her father's. She bolts upstairs and shuts the door to her bedroom. Frank goes into the kitchen and pulls out a bottle of wine, pouring a glass for each of them. He hands Claire her glass with a kiss.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." They clink glasses and light another cigarette. "I wish I could've spent more of it with you."

"You know I don't care about that. I just want us to be in the Oval Office."

"We will be soon enough." Claire moves so her body is pressed up against Frank's.

"This past month has been hard on all of us. I'm wondering how Hannah is dealing with all of this. She's been relatively quiet since the night after that incident in your office." Frank moves his arms so they are wrapped around her frame, no longer having to be mindful of her sling. She transitioned out of it a few days ago and only sleeps with it on.

"I was thinking of bringing her by the office tomorrow. She hasn't stepped foot in there since that day with Pierce." Hannah used to love visiting her parents at work, but hasn't in a month.

"I agree. I'll tell her to come by after school. I don't want her to be afraid." Claire passes the cigarette up to her husband as she readjusts in his arms.

The next day, Hannah knocks on her mother's office door. Claire waves her in and ends her phone call.

"Hey, Mom. What am I doing here?" Hannah asks. She was surprised to receive a text from her mother asking her to come to the White House after school.

Claire can tell how nervous Hannah is by being here, which is exactly why her and Frank wanted to do this.

"We are going to your dad's office. Come on." Claire isn't going to take no for an answer. Her daughter needs to face this fear head on.

"I don't want to. Can't he just come here?" Hannah asks. Her mother only knows what her father has told her about that day. She wasn't there to witness someone dying in front of her.

"No. Hannah, being afraid accomplishes nothing. It will make you feel better. Let's go." Claire is being hard on Hannah because she wishes someone was on her. She never told her mother about her rape in college, knowing she wouldn't be emotionally available to help her through it.

Hannah reluctantly lets her mother drag her to her dad's office. Claire knocks and steps in first, tugging on her daughter's hand. Frank is sitting in his desk, waiting for Hannah.

"Hannah, come in," Frank tells her. Hannah shakes her head. Her eyes are concentrated on the spot where Pierce was killed. The carpet has been replaced in the office to remove the blood stain, but she can still visualize it.

"Daddy…I can't. He died…right there." _You shot him, twice, and we watched him die._ Hannah thinks to herself. Frank stands up and walks over to his daughter. Claire moves around Hannah, choosing to sit on the couch.

"You can't think about that anymore. This is _my_ office, what happened that day doesn't change that." Hannah nods and lets her dad take her hand, forcing her to step forward to keep pace with him. She slowly steps into the office, eventually reaching her mother on the couch.

"Good job," Claire says and squeezes Hannah's hand. A part of Hannah resents her parents for making her do this, but they are right. Living with this paralyzing fear of stepping into her dad's office isn't healthy. She has to eventually get over it, and she's glad her parents are there to help her.

"Can we go now?" Hannah asks. She would rather see her father later at home than disrupt his day here.

"Yes. I have to get to a meeting. The Walkers' are coming over for dinner tomorrow." Frank tells Claire and Hannah.

"That was easy," Claire comments. She's not surprised the Walkers are so willing to come over for dinner. They are too naïve to suspect anything other than the Underwoods attempting to make peace.

"Spineless…Hannah, I'm going to need you to make a surprise appearance at dinner. Go over to Lauren's for a while and then come home around…seven." The Walkers ask about the teenager all the time and Frank is determined to use their liking of his daughter to his advantage.

"Okay," Hannah agrees with a smirk.

"More wine?" Claire asks Trisha Walker when she notices her glass is empty.

"Sure, thank you," Trisha tells Claire. Claire stands up and walks into the kitchen, squeezing Frank's shoulder on the way past. Their dinner couldn't go any better if they tried. Garrett apologized to Claire for their squabble and is admitting to being worried about the investigation.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Mr. President," Frank lies. Walker nods and takes a sip of his scotch.

"It's Tusk that worries me. I'm not sure how well he is going to stand up under scrutiny."

"Well, you will just have to coach him. Francis can help with that, right?" Claire asks when she returns to the dining room.

"I would be happy to provide my assistance in any way," Frank agrees.

"I appreciate that, Frank, thank you," Walker says sincerely. Frank almost feels sorry for the president. He has no idea what is about to come.

A few minutes past seven, Hannah comes into the townhouse, just as planned. She throws down her backpack and pretends to be surprised by the Walkers in their dining room.

"Hannah, it's so good to see you," Trisha Walker says.

"Thank you, Mrs. Walker. I would've come home sooner if I knew you were coming," Hannah directs her comment at her parents, knowing they will play right along.

"We didn't want to bore you with politics," Frank tells her. Hannah rolls her eyes and fixes herself a plate. Claire points inconspicuously at the empty chair next to the First Lady. Hannah winks at her mother and plops down by Trisha.

"Your parents told us about your debate competition, apparently you put the other kids to shame," the president says to Hannah.

"Oh…I wouldn't say that, but thank you. It's just something I enjoy doing." Hannah smiles at Walker. She actually likes the president, but she would rather see her father in the Oval.

"She's so modest. Frank, I have a hard time believing she's your daughter," Garrett says. Frank lets out a fake laugh and a half-hearted smile. Hannah holds her hand in front of her mouth to contain her laughter.

Hannah and Claire keep Trisha occupied while Frank and Garrett work out a strategy to effectively answer the Justice Department's questions.

"Thank you for entertaining us, it was a lovely evening," Trisha says to the Underwoods while she and Garrett are getting their coats on.

"Yes, it was. We will have to do it again sometime," Claire says for the three of them. They have no intentions of keeping their friendship with the Walkers, especially when Frank becomes president.

"I almost feel bad for them," Hannah comments after her father shuts the door.

"It's what has to be done," Frank tells her.

A week later, Frank has successfully put Walker in a position that he has no choice but to resign in order to save face. Tusk pled the Fifth to all charges brought against him and Walker realized it was only a matter of time before the Justice Department indicted him. He resigned and handed the presidency over to Frank.

Frank and Claire are smoking by the windowsill when Meechum informs him of the news. He smiles broadly at Claire who steps forward to hug him. Hannah catches her parents hugging and rushes over to them.

"What's happening?" Hannah asks her parents. They separate, and Frank cinches his arm around Claire's waist.

"It's official now. I am the president of the United States," Frank informs his daughter.

"I, Francis J. Underwood do solemnly swear to defend…" Frank begins his oath in front of spectators and reporters at Camp David. The Underwoods flew there after news broke Walker was resigning. Now, Frank is being sworn in with Hannah and Claire by his side.

"Congratulations, Mr. President," the judge tells Frank and shakes his head. Applause erupts as Frank brushes a kiss to Claire's and Hannah's cheeks. The new First Family reluctantly poses for some photographs before heading back to the helicopter which will return them to the White House.

"Daddy, you are the president now," Hannah says into her headset while they are in the helicopter. Frank winks at his daughter while Claire loops her arm through his.

They arrive safely at the White House, shocked to see all of their staff lined in the hallway leading to the Oval Office. Frank clasps Claire's hand, with Hannah close behind them. The Underwoods' walk past everyone, eager to get to the door of the Oval Office. Their staff disperses, wanting to give the new president some privacy.

"Hannah, let's give your father some time to himself," Claire tells their daughter. Frank furrows his eyebrows; this moment is as much theirs as it is his.

"It's okay, Claire. We did this together, as a family." He swings open the door to the Oval and pulls on his wife's hand, bringing her inside. Hannah follows and shuts the door.

Frank and Claire have been in here many times, but it's different now. The Office is theirs for a long time to come.

"This is so weird…and awesome," Hannah comments. Her parents nod their heads in agreement. Frank sits down in the chair, coaxing Claire into his lap.

"I'm so proud, Francis," Claire tells him quietly. The Underwoods have sacrificed a lot to get here, especially lately, but it's worth it. They were able to get what they so desperately wanted.

"I didn't do it alone," he responds, stamping a kiss to her temple. Claire has been the driving force behind his ascension to the Oval Office. Without her, he would still be a lowly Congressman from South Carolina.

"Before you two get all gross, can we check out the residences?" Hannah asks. She has been waiting to see her new room since leaving for Camp David this morning.

"Sure. The Walkers are still in the process of moving out, but we can go up there," Frank says. Claire gets off his lap and leads the way out of the Oval.

"I think this is your room, Hannah," Frank tells her when they get upstairs. Hannah's mouth flips open in shock.

"This is mine?" Her new room at the White House is twice as big as the one she has at the townhouse. It features a king-sized bed, a flat-screen, walk-in closet and an attached bathroom.

"Yes. Try to come out and see us occasionally," Frank jokes. Hannah nods, not even paying attention to what her father is saying.

"Let's leave her, Francis." Claire wants to give their daughter time to acclimate.

Everything is fresh and exciting now, but Hannah might have some regrets once the nature of Frank's job fully sinks in. Their privacy will be non-existent, and the spotlight is bigger than ever. Hannah won't be able to be a normal teenager again until her father leaves the office. It will be an adjustment for all of them, Claire included. She will have to be just the First Lady for now, until Frank can find a position for her within his cabinet. Not an ideal role for her, but she will be patient. She is confident her husband will deliver on his promises.

Frank and Claire let their daughter explore and cross the hallway into their room.

"Welcome home, Claire," Frank mumbles. Claire steps into the room, trailing her fingers on the fabric of the bed, their bed.

"I think this will work." A coy smile plays on Claire's lips. Frank grins and sits on the bed next to her.

"I'm glad you like it." The pad of his thumb reaches up to pinch her cheek, catching the curve of her smile line.

"Francis, I think we should have a party here, soon. Nothing too big…just a celebration of what we've accomplished."

"I agree. We should get going. The Walkers are going to be back soon." Frank wants to avoid running into Garrett and Trisha if he can. There's no need to be associating with them anymore.

Claire and Frank leave their new room and signal to Hannah that it's time to go.

"When are we moving in?" Hannah asks.

"They want us to be out of the townhouse by the day after tomorrow. We are going to have a party here this weekend," Frank tells her.

"Awesome. Can I invite Lauren?" Hannah asks her parents.

"I don't see why not," Claire tells Hannah as she grabs onto Frank's hand.

As they are driving back to the townhouse, Frank thinks it's a good idea to brief Hannah on some of the changes coming to their family.

"Things are going to be different now, Hannah. There is no room for mistakes. We can't be as carefree as we once were."

"I understand." Hannah has every intention of making her parents proud. She won't let silly teenage exploits dampen her father's presidency. Hannah has goals of her own that she needs to accomplish before her father leaves office.

The teenager relegates herself to her bedroom as soon as they step into the townhouse. Hannah is eager to call her best friend and tell her about her day.

Frank and Claire go upstairs to their bedroom, skipping a cigarette for the night.

"I'm going to miss this house, Francis." Claire mutters while changing into her nightie.

"Me too. This house has been ours since we moved to D.C. almost twenty years ago."

Frank approaches her, setting his hands on her shoulders.

"This is Hannah's first home." Claire isn't usually nostalgic, but with all the changes in the past twenty-four hours, it's hard not to be.

"We gave her a better one." Frank presses a kiss to her lips.

"We did."

"You are going to make a fine First Lady." Claire gives him the tiniest of frowns. She wants more than that, he should know that by now.

"I want you to find me a suitable position in your administration. I heard there's an opening in the State Department."

Leave it to Claire to not be content with being the First Lady of the United States. She wants more, a position that will separate her from being just his wife.

"I'm sure Cathy will be delighted to have you. We will get that started as soon as possible."

Claire nods with satisfaction. She is glad she doesn't have to argue with her husband about this. Now is not the time to take a backseat, it's time for her to begin her political career.

"How do I look?" Hannah asks as she steps out into the main living room area in the White House residences. She's wearing a royal blue dress that illuminates her eyes. Her brunette hair is loosely curled, collecting around her shoulders.

"Beautiful," Frank says proudly. He is waiting for Claire to be finished with her outfit. They have a room full of guests waiting for them downstairs.

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself, Daddy." Hannah winks at him and sweeps her hair aside so he can zip up her dress.

"Is your mother almost ready?" Frank asks his daughter.

"I'm here, Francis," Claire mutters and steps into the living room. Her silk ivory dress hugs her figure perfectly. She holds out a string of pearls for him to clasp, drawing attention to the sweetheart neckline of the gown.

"Mom, you look so pretty," Hannah gushes. "I'll see you two downstairs."

Frank and Claire watch their daughter, accompanied by Meechum, walk out of the main living area of the residence. Claire turns to face her husband, wondering why they aren't trailing behind Hannah. His finger flicks aside the pearls encompassing her neck to trace the jagged edge of the scar marring her shoulder. He has seen it before, in brief instances when she gets out of the shower or is naked in their bed. She could've easily picked another dress to hide her scar, but she's choosing to share it with the world now. And he wants to know her motives behind her choice.

"Is there a reason you haven't talked to me about this?" Frank asks, his fingers still dancing over the mark. Claire glances down before meeting his eyes.

"There's nothing to say." They can't have this conversation now, not with a room full of people waiting for them to make their appearance.

"Does it hurt?" Claire nods just the slightest bit.

"We should get going." She can tell by the way he is scrutinizing her face that he wants more of an elaborate explanation, when they have more time alone.

Frank and Claire walk hand-in-hand out of the residences and to the top of the staircase. Conversation ceases as everyone turns to look at the first couple.

"I feel like we are at our wedding," Frank whispers to his wife.

"This is worse. At least my mother tried to draw attention away from us because she hated you." Claire waves politely at a diplomat while Frank chuckles to himself.

Hannah joins in the applause while watching her parents descend the staircase.

"Your mom looks amazing," Lauren whispers in Hannah's ear.

"I know. I helped her pick out that dress."

Before the guests sit down for dinner, Frank gives a quick speech.

"Thank you all for coming. Claire, Hannah and I appreciate everyone's hard work, we know this wouldn't have been possible if not for everyone here. It's an honor to be your president and to serve this great nation. I would also like to thank my family." Frank turns to face Claire. "Claire, you have been by my side since we met at Harvard. You are the reason this is happening. Hannah, you have been extraordinarily brave these past few months. Your mother and I are so proud of the person you are becoming." Hannah winks at her father and blushes when people start looking her way. "Anyway, I'll stop talking, I'm sure you are all starving. Let's eat."

The crowd claps and starts making their way to their assigned seats.

"You didn't have to say all of that. Hannah and I know how grateful you are to us." Claire says to her husband. It's not like him to speak so openly about their family to the public.

"Yes, I did. You two deserve to be thanked for all the work we have put in." Claire accepts his reasoning and lets him escort her to their seats.

During dinner, Frank and Claire do their best to mingle with as many of their guests as possible. Claire is already growing tired of the attention, but Frank revels in it. She lets her husband do most of the talking while she sits back and listens. Hannah catches her mother's eye and waves her over. Like Claire, Hannah is not interested in all of the people gawking at her. She would rather gossip quietly with Lauren in a corner than keep conversation with people looking to suck up to her because of who her father is.

"Hannah wants to talk to me, I'll be right back," Claire mutters to Frank.

"Okay," Frank watches Claire get up and weave through the crowd, making her way to their daughter.

"Hey, Mom. You looked bored, I thought I would save you from another one of Dad's stories about his childhood in Gaffney," Hannah says to her mother. Claire smirks, her daughter knows Frank well.

"I've heard them so many times, I can recite them verbatim," Claire tells Hannah. "Hi, Lauren."

"Hi, Mrs. Underwood. Or…uh…First Lady Underwood?" Lauren asks with a shrug. Both of Hannah's parents terrify her, especially Claire.

"Mrs. Underwood is fine. Hannah, we will have a lot of events like this one while your father is president. It's best to get used to them now." Hannah nods in understanding. If her mother can suffer through, then so can she.

"Fine, but I'm not doing any interviews." The teenager has to draw the line somewhere, she isn't about to become fodder for the press.

"Understood."

Frank interrupts his wife and daughter, swinging his arm across Claire's chest.

"Hi." His familiar Southern drawl fills her with warmth. Her hand reflexively finds his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Hello." Claire says back. Hannah and Lauren say hi to Frank as well, wondering if he came over by them for a purpose.

"I'm stealing your mother for a dance." Frank informs their daughter and steps away from Claire so she can stand up.

"I wish my parents liked each other that much," Lauren comments as Frank and Claire walk towards the ballroom.

"It gets old really quick. Come on, let's go find hot boys to annoy my dad with," Hannah tugs on Lauren's hand.

"Francis, we are the only people dancing," Claire whispers to him. Frank spins her around and brings her towards his body.

"Not for long." Frank gestures to people already starting to join them on the dance floor. "So, what's it like being married to the president?"

Claire tilts her head, looking directly at him with a smirk.

"Exactly the same…what?" Claire follows Frank's gaze. Their daughter is dancing and laughing with a blonde guy about her age a few feet away from them.

"Who…is… _that_?" Claire tightens her grip on her husband's hand to prevent him from striding over to where Hannah is.

"That is the Canadian Prime Minister's son."

"Why is she dancing with him?" Frank's question comes out almost as a whine. Claire finds it amusing how protective her husband is over Hannah.

"Because she wants to. We can have Secret Service vet him in the morning. Let's finish our dance." Frank knows better than to make a scene at his own party. He locks eyes with Hannah and mouths 'be careful.' Hannah rolls her eyes and gives him a thumbs-up behind her dancing partner's back.

After all of their guests have left and Hannah and Lauren crash in the teenager's room, Frank and Claire share a cigarette in the Oval.

"That wasn't terrible," Frank comments and passes the cigarette over to Claire.

"No. It was tolerable. Let's not make a habit out of tonight, Francis." Claire wants to savor as much privacy as she can.

"Agreed." Frank loosens his bow tie while Claire takes the final drag of the cigarette. She puts it out in a cup of water sitting on the desk.

"I wasn't ready," Claire mumbles abruptly.

"What?"

"When you asked me why we haven't talked about my scar…I wasn't ready to discuss it." Frank believes no matter how much Claire has convinced herself she has moved past the miscarriage, a tiny fragment of her hasn't. Seeing her scar reminds her of getting shot and losing their child. By nature, Claire is an incredibly private person, she didn't want to expose herself until she felt equipped to handle it.

"And now?" A chaste grin plays out on Claire's lips. It's difficult to articulate her innermost feelings. Even to her husband, someone she tells everything to.

"I was thinking about when we forced Hannah to go into your office, how scared she was, but she did it. I had to do the same."

He leans over to capture her lips in a quick kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She hops off the desk and stands next to him, leaning on his chair for support.

"I got you something."

"You didn't have to."

"I know. Open your desk." Frank slides open the drawer to his desk. Inside, is the photograph of them that Pierce ripped up and threw away taped to the wood. His fingers slide over the photo as a grin plays out on his lips. "I know how much you love that picture."

"I do."

Claire and Frank silently leave the Oval Office and head into their bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind them.

 **THE END.**

 **A/N 2: It's a little bittersweet finishing something I've been working on since last summer. Now, I know you guys expressed interest in a sequel, but I have no ideas. Any and all reviews would help. Thank you so much for reading** _ **State of Play**_ **and I will try to get something going in the next few weeks!**


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